Hospitality

Tomorrow, my wife and I have a guest coming to visit.

A friend from France who we haven’t seen in a number of years.

He has only a few free hours to visit.

We could have him over to our house for dinner.

But we just got back last night from a trip ourselves.

And we’re a little behind in our work and housework and other commitments.

For the dinner, we’d need to get some grocery shopping done.

Plan a meal and prepare it.

Nothing unusual or especially difficult to accomplish.

But, as we all know, even small added tasks can add pressure on our schedules.

Fortunately, we have an easy solution.

We can just go to dinner at a restaurant.

The cooks and waiters will take care of all the planning, preparing and serving.

And we can spend all of our visit time talking with our friend.

Catching each other up on what’s happened over the past years.

Listening to each other’s plans for the future.

Good food can add to the enjoyment.

But the meal isn’t the reason we’re getting together.

We’re getting together to talk to each other.

In today’s Gospel, Martha has a friend coming to her home.

Jesus is visiting her and her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus.

Hospitality is of utmost importance in their culture.

And Martha wants everything to be perfect.

There’s a lot of preparation, a lot of serving, a lot to do and a lot to worry about.

Unfortunately for Martha, there’s no convenient restaurant in Bethany.

And she doesn’t have servants or anyone else to help her—except Mary and Lazarus.

Lazarus wouldn’t be expected to clean and cook and serve—so that leaves just Mary.

But when the time comes, Mary’s not helping.

She’s just sitting at his feet, listening to Jesus.

Poor Martha gets so frustrated she complains to Jesus, thinking he’ll scold Mary.

But instead he reminds Martha of that most crucial element of true hospitality.

And that is, attention to the guest.

Not just attention to the décor, the ambience and the guest’s food and physical comfort.

Those are indeed worthy elements of hospitality.

But even more important is direct attention to the guest.

And more still, in the case of a guest with a message to deliver, attention to that message.

Jesus, with his Spirit dwelling within us, is on-hand to visit with us anytime, 24/7/366.

As often or seldom as we like, at any instant of our choosing, 

We can show him our hospitality.

Tuesday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

Lk 10:38-42           Read this Scripture @usccb.org