“Welcome guests as Christ” begins Chapter 53 of the Rule of St. Benedict. In the 6th century, when the Rule was written, travel was often dangerous, and there were no such things as hostels or hotels. Monasteries were oases of Christian life in an age of political unrest, invasions from the North, and general chaos as the rule of Rome was no more. What did it mean to welcome guests as Christ? Hospitality is a theme in today’s Scripture readings. What does it mean for us today to welcome guests as Christ? What does it mean if we are the guests who are welcomed?
II Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a
In Chapter 2 of II Kings, Elijah is taken up into heaven. Elisha, main character in today’s reading, is with him. He asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and receives it. Chapters 3 through 12 tell of Elisha’s life from that time. While Elijah had been a powerful prophet who battled for YHWH, Elisha worked many miracles of peace and helpfulness to people—while still doing his best to hold the kings accountable to follow YHWH’s law.
Today’s reading is the story of one of those miracles. A rather well-to-do couple in the town of Shuman offers Elisha hospitality—they build a room for him. Elisha is grateful and asks what he can do for them. In parts of the story not included in today’s reading, he even asks the woman if he might intercede for her with the king. She answers no, but she has no child. When Elisha predicts it, she scoffs. She doesn’t believe it is possible. Nonetheless, she has a child as he predicts. The child later dies, the woman goes to Elisha in distress, he comes back to her house and brings the child back to life.
That is important, but not part of today’s focus. The focus of this reading is simply that she offered hospitality. Her simple offering of hospitality began a series of events which showed YHWH’s goodness to ordinary people at a time when the kings were not blessed because of their disobedience.
Matthew 10:37-42
Today’s Gospel completes Jesus’ directions to his disciples before he sends them out to preach, heal, teach, and cast out demons—while depending on the hospitality of people they don’t know in villages they have perhaps never visited before.
I think it is important to put this final third of the directions in the context of all Jesus said. First, Jesus expresses his compassion for the people of Galilee and his own recognition that the need is greater than he can fulfill as Jesus, the man. Then he problem solves: Jesus gives the 12 disciples AUTHORITY to cast out evil spirits, and to heal every disease and infirmity.
Jesus tells the disciples to use their authority to replace trouble with healing and goodness AND to preach the good news that the Kingdom of God is at hand. They are to go to Jewish villages and depend on the hospitality of the people to provide for their needs. He lets them know they will not always be welcomed. If they are not welcomed in a village, they should move on—without carrying resentment. He tells them to be “wise and serpents and gentle as doves,” no matter what they encounter.
He tells them to trust in the Holy Spirit to tell them what to speak, especially if they are persecuted. Even if their lives are threatened, they are not to be afraid. They are to fear God, but nothing else. There is an implication from last week’s reading that their families may be against them. They must ignore that. Today Jesus continues with that admonition that they must love Jesus and their mission more than family.
Jesus then says they must go so far as to think of themselves as losing their lives. Meanwhile, Jesus reassures them, the Father notices who offers them hospitality and blesses them. (Like he noticed and blessed the couple in today’s first reading.
Then, after this “commencement address,” it is interesting in Matthew. Jesus and the disciples simply go to work. Chapter 11 begins, “And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.”
Romans 6:3-4, 8-11
It is almost as if this selection from Paul’s letter to the Romans could have been a general email Jesus might have sent to the twelve as they were out and about (if there had been email two thousand years ago). Paul is directing it to the young church in Rome. He is reminding church members there that they have died with Christ because they are baptized. Now they are to live with him—separate from sin. Our reading today ends with that message. It is interesting, in light of that ending, what is in verses 1 and 2:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!” Early Christians, like the disciples, like us are to simply be at work–not diverted by sin, family, fear, or rejection.
Applications
One application to today’s reading is the obvious one: How hospitable am I? Am I cup of cold water hospitable? Am I willing to build and furnish a guest room? How brave am I when I am the guest? How brave am I when I am a rejected guest? How willing to just move on without hullabaloo?
How willing and able am I to remember that I have died to sin because I have been baptized? Especially sins of holding resentment when hospitality has been withheld? Or sins of not proclaiming the Kingdom of God because I fear rejection?
God is working on me today with all those thoughts. How is God working on you?
Prayer
Lord, your Word today says that your Providence provides…and is enough. You provide through your people…a room here, a dinner there, a conversation, a cup of water. Help me be generous enough to offer hospitality; help me be humble enough to be a gracious guest. Help me see you in every hostess and in every guest. Lead me, guide me, Lord.
