Hospitality of the heart: Sunday reflection

This morning’s Gospel reading is Matthew 10:37–42:

Jesus said to his apostles:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple— amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

Why is hospitality an enduring virtue in so many cultures? Even apart fro biblical exhortations in both the Old and New Testaments, hospitality weaves itself into cultures as a high-value virtue. Those who travel abroad see this often; even in the US, “southern hospitality” is legendary. The need to provide succor and welcome to visitors and travelers is etched deep within us.

Some of this cultural embrace clearly comes from our biblical traditions, of course. It is in fact a key attribute of faith, not just symbolically but in practice as well. It is through our own hospitality that we open our hearts and allow the Lord to work through us and to allow us to utilize the gifts He gives us for His work.

One can trace that all the way back to Abraham, who greeted the three travelers in Genesis 18. The scriptures make clear that this is a theophany: “The Lord appeared to Abraham,” the chapter begins, as Abraham looked up to see the three. He immediately offers his hospitality to the three in the form of water and a meal. In return for his hospitality, the Lord promises a son to the barren Abraham and Sarah, and that Abraham would become the father of a nation so great that it would outnumber the stars in the sky.

We see this again today in our first reading from 2 Kings, chapter 4. The prophet Elisha comes to Shunem on his travels, where “a woman of influence” invited Elisha not just to dine with her family. She and her husband also arrange to house Elisha for a time in a room on the roof, which in that place and time would arguably have been more comfortable than in a confined space, especially with amenities such as “a bed, table, chair, and lamp.”

Once again, the welcoming of the spirit of the Lord — this time in the form of His prophet — allows God to work through those who offer such hospitality. Elisha prophesies that the Lord will give the Shunamite woman a son. This comes to pass, just as it did with Abraham and Sarah, although the Shunamite woman’s husband was also old.

The breaking of hospitality has its consequences as well, as Elisha’s life teaches us. In 2 Kings 5, Elisha miraculously heals Naaman of his leprosy but refuses payment. That gift was also freely given to Naaman as a visitor, but Elisha’s servant sneaks away and extracts payment under false testimony afterward from a grateful Naaman. As a result of this corruption of Elisha’s hospitality, the servant was afflicted with Naaman’s leprosy for the rest of his life.

Jesus’ disciples would have been familiar with these scriptures, so His exhortation on receiving a prophet would have served as a reminder. But Jesus goes farther than that, extending it to the smallest level of hospitality — merely a cup of cold water to anyone proclaiming the Word would receive the Father’s blessings for it.

That demonstrates the extent of the Father’s love and appreciation for hospitality, but it also relates to its centrality to our faith. We are called to prepare our hearts for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, so that we may allow Jesus to work through us in the world. How much hospitality do we offer the Holy Spirit? Do we welcome Him enthusiastically, offering comfort and conforming ourselves to His presence? Or do we put Him where it’s convenient for us and mainly ignore Him? Or worse, do we act as though the Holy Spirit is an intruder and an unwelcome visitor, begrudging His very presence as we might an obnoxious neighbor?

If we do not recognize the Lord in His presence, how can He work through us and prepare us for eternal life?

Jesus calls us to have true hospitality in our hearts, just as Abraham had and just as the Shunamite woman demonstrated. Even a small show of hospitality is a start, one which will result in blessings from the Lord and renewed vigor of faith. When we receive the Holy Spirit with true hospitality, the Lord can help us change the world.

The front-page image is “The Angels Appearing to Abraham” by Francesco Guardi, c.1750-59. On display at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Via Wikimedia Commons.

“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here.