“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
The virtue of hospitality was and continues to be one of the most prized virtues among our Jewish sisters and brothers. Guests to one’s home or country were to be treated with the utmost care and civility.
The great sin in today’s first lesson from the Book of Genesis, has virtually nothing to do with the pretext of the centuries-old rationalization for the vilification of gay people but everything to do with the grave sin of inhospitality – the honored guests were ‘abused’ by the people of Sodom and Gomorrah rather than treated with hospitality.
The God of both the old and new law is a God of gracious hospitality for all who come to the Lord hungering for healing, mercy and compassion. God’s gracious hospitality towards his people, the work of his hands, is beautifully summarized in the prayer that anchors so much of our Christian spirituality, the Our Father.
When we call upon our loving Father in prayer, he always responds with what we most need in his gracious hospitality – the daily bread of love, compassion and mercy.
And who is worthy of so great a gift? The late and beloved Pope Francis often said in response to that question in his native language – Todos, todos, todos – All, all, all.
And so, we in turn by virtue of our Baptism, our putting on Christ, are to practice this same hospitality in our own life. It is indeed the hallmark of authentic Christianity, to welcome the stranger and treat them as we would treat Christ himself.
The ancient Rule of St. Benedict that orders the life of all Benedictine monks and nuns throughout the world says simply that ‘all guests are to be welcomed as Christ!’ This was powerfully brought home to me many years ago when I visited as a guest the great French Abbey of Solesmes, famous for the restoration of Gregorian Chant. As the guests were ushered into the refectory or dining hall for lunch, the Abbot was at the door of the refectory with a beautiful silver pitcher and basin and he washed the hands of all guests as we entered. The power of this simple gesture has remained with me all these years.
Brothers and sister, we are called to be a people of hospitality. To do otherwise in our lives as Christians is truly unworthy of the great calling that is ours as sisters and brothers of the Lord.