Anyone Who Welcomes You, Welcomes Me

Hospitality:

People like to think of themselves as friendly and welcoming. But at least in the spontaneous, instinctive sense of hospitality, times have changed. Today’s would-be casual visitor should ring first, dodge the various TV soaps and sports, while being aware of the growing ‘early-to-bed’ regime.  From gated developments to security lighting to doorbells that beckon fetchingly through a locked porch door, the edge has gone off ‘Ireland of the welcomes’.

But turning to the neighbour is simply turning to the Gospel: ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me’. We may think that unlike Elisha’s day (First Reading), Christianity is a non-prophet organisation – but we’re very wrong. Look closer and you will see Christ gazing back at you in every face and culture.

Ultimately hospitality is about attitude more than plenitude. The 19^th century writer Thoreau put it this way: ‘I sat at a table where rich food and wine …but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the hospitable board. They talked of the fame of the vintage; but I thought … purer wine, of a more glorious vintage, which they had not got, and could not buy.’

Christian hospitality is much more than cups of tea; it’s about buckets of tolerance and understanding that satisfy the deepest thirst.

Image Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash

Go Out and Preach the Gospel

Do Not Be Afraid

The second part of Jesus’ instruction to the disciples as they set out for their mission, is the text of the Gospel today. The opening sentence sets the tone for the disciples’ mission: Do not be afraid – a phrase which is repeated twice more in this Gospel passage.

The first reading from the Old Testament book of the prophet Jeremiah reflects Jeremiah’s experience of rejection – no one wants to hear the message God has called him to give. In fact, they want to kill him. Jeremiah sounds desperate and afraid. But then the reading turns into a prayer of confidence and trust in God’s companionship and spiritual protection – God and Jeremiah will win out.

Preaching in the name of God is a risky and frightening business, as Jesus knows. So, he urges the disciples not to be afraid of small beginnings, of those who can kill only the body, or that God would abandon them. He reminds them that God is always mindful of them and accompanies them on their mission. He urges them to be brave and bold in proclaiming the truth about God and in confessing their belief in Jesus before others.

Matthew’s audience, like Jesus, Jeremiah and the disciples, knew all about persecution and rejection. Their question is also ours: if we allow fear to silence us, how will the Good News of Jesus Christ ever be heard in the world? If we don’t speak, who will? If we don’t act, who will?

It is not really a matter of talking at people and quoting at length from the Bible. As St Francis of Assisi said, ‘Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words’.

Lost Sheep

Jesus Calls and Sends

Jesus calls and sends us to find the “lost sheep” to tell them of the Good News of the Kingdom. Who are the lost sheep? They are the ones who already belong, but somehow strayed or do not know yet that they already belong to God’s flock. They suffer and we bring them God’s work of healing the sick, of restoring the outcast, of bringing relief to all physical, mental, social, and spiritual sufferings. St John Chrysostom wrote: ‘Nothing is colder than a Christian who does not care for the salvation of others.’ Today’s Gospel may well be a call to us to break out of our little ice cubes.

Jesus is the icon of God the Father. He gives a face to the love and compassion of the Father. And Jesus calls us to offer service and the Good News to all, without seeking a return for ourselves. It is our Christian life to be chosen, just as the twelve apostles were chosen, sent as they were sent. Somewhere in this world, there is someone for whom I am God’s gift of His presence, of His love, of His compassion.

As St Teresa of Avila reminds us.

Christ has no hands… He has only our hands to do His work today.

Christ has no feet… He has only our feet to guide men along His path.

Christ has no lips… He has only our lips to announce Him to the people of today.

Christ has no means… He has only our help to lead people to Himself.

We are the only Bible that people still read. We are the last message of God

Written in words and in deeds.

Fr Gerard Jonas - mepkinabbey.org