Show Notes
This twelfth week of Ordinary Time invites us to reflect on Hebrews 11 and the call to practice hospitality—even to strangers. How are you being called to radical welcome to those around you?
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Episode Transcript
We pause to note the changing of the seasons. Let’s thank God for the gift of summer, as Labor Day celebrates its informal end, and welcome fall with its reminder of God’s provision and a time of preparation for rejoicing at the incarnation of Christmas.
A reading from Hebrews chapter 13 verses 1 through 8 and 15 through 16.
1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
After waiting in line more than a few minutes at the counter without being acknowledged by any of the several staff on hand, a woman went over to the restaurant manager standing nearby to ask if there was somewhere else she should place her order. Nope, the manager said off handedly. That was the spot. No matter how good the food is, chances are that woman won’t be going back to that establishment again. As the old saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. That recent exchange reminds me of how important our everyday actions are. The way we treat others, even in passing, might open or close a door to an ongoing relationship. One that may go far beyond winning over peak customer or garnering a nice Yelp review. After all, in Hebrews 11, the writer urges us not to neglect showing hospitality to strangers. Quote, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it. In other words, by making others feel like they matter, we might be cooperating with a spiritual assignment God has purposed. Such a perspective might change the way we go through our days. From our commute to our workplace or school, then running errands and enjoying our leisure time, we are constantly coming into contact with strangers. How do we view them? As just interruptions to our day or answers to our needs? Of course, we’re not going to invite them all home for a meal, but how might we in some small measure extend hospitality, which the dictionary defines as being friendly and welcoming? And note, this is for everyone, though some Christians talk about hospitality as a special gift. And yes, some of us might be more naturally inclined this way. Hebrews 11 makes it clear we’re all expected to practice it, even when it’s hard, as someone once said, hospitality is the art of making someone feel at home when that’s where you wish they were. By taking even just a few moments to do a brief exchange could have eternal consequences. Small kindnesses can produce big results.
A reading from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 14, verse 1, followed by verses 7 through 14.
1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Let us pray with Presbyterian pastor, Reverend Mike Peacock.
Dear Lord, we acknowledge that what we have been taught is that we should love one another. It seems simple, but we have failed. Part of what we know we need to change is how we are welcoming and hospitable to others in our homes, our workplaces, our places of worship, quite frankly, everywhere in our communities. Hear our prayers this day as we seek to find peace and determine how we can better, as you have taught us to be extending hospitality to others. Help us to realize that our non-hospitable acts have become acts of exclusion. We have been wrong. Help us to realize that hospitality is part of how we demonstrate that we love one another. Amen.
And finally, the 112th Psalm.
Praise the Lord.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.
Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.
The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
