Have you ever known some one who had the gift of hospitality?
Not hospitality in the sense of knowing how to entertain, but hospitality in the sense of knowing how to make people feel at home, or knowing who needs somewhere to be at home, hospitality in the sense of making a home for someone who needs one.
For about a year I once helped run a home for homeless men who were in addiction recovery. I lived there. I had every third night free. Much like being a parish priest. I needed somewhere else to go, somewhere to rest.
I knew an older couple. The husband was a retired priest. They lived in this very old, very large three story house, not counting the cavernous full basement stacked with books and book shelves.
It had many rooms.
They welcomed me there. I had my own room up in the attic every third night, and for breakfast I was served a three egg omelet and tea.
I was in discernment for the priesthood and the old man became sort of my spiritual coach, my spiritual director. We talked of the ways of God, the poor, the Church, the priesthood.
The cross I wear on Sundays is an ordination gift from them.
The gift of hospitality, making a home for those who need somewhere to go, a place with room.
You are blessed if you know such a person.
You are a blessing if you are such a person.
Chapter 14 of John’s Gospel.
Jesus begins his farewell speech, it last for three chapters.
He has just washed his disciples’ feet, Judas has made his exit to betray, Jesus has given the new commandment to love one another as he has loved them.
The speech begins with speaking of the Father’s House with many dwelling places. A favorite passage that we hear so often at funerals.
And the passage speaks also of the bold claim that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus.
A favorite passage for fundamentalists who want to demonstrate the superiority of Christianity over all other world religions.
It is also a favorite passage for liberals to use to demonstrate the dangerous exclusive nature of Christianity that needs to be set aside so everyone can get along and make the world a better place. If we all just believe less then we will all be better people.
Both the fundamentalists and the liberals miss the point.
This has nothing to do with other religions.
It is about being at home, about making a home for others.
It is about outrageous hospitality.
This is the heart of John’s gospel, that Jesus and the Father are at home with one another, and that Jesus is the particular flesh and blood hospitality of God reaching out to a world in need of finding a home, a world in need of being at home in God. Jesus is the outrageous expression of God’s hospitality searching us out and inviting us home.
Jesus kneeling before the disciples and washing their feet is the ultimate expression of welcoming in to the father’s house with many dwelling places.
Jesus is the way of God, the truth of God, the life of God kneeling before the world in loving service, in outrageous welcome, that we may be at home in God as the Father and the Son are at home in one another, that we may share in that relationship.
It is interesting that Jesus then goes on to say that those who believe in him will do as he does, bowing before others to serve, to wash their feet, to make a home for others, to love one another as Jesus has loved us.
It is interesting that those who truly believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life are those who go out of their way to serve others, to reach out, to make room, to make at home, who flesh out the outrageous expression of hospitality of God in Christ.
This isn’t about who makes the cut, who is in or out, or who is better.
It is not about believing less so that others may be more welcome.
It is about who God is, God is love, and Jesus is the blood and bone of that love, and God’s people are those who become the blood and bone of God to the world, that the world may be at home in God.
Have you ever known the absurd hospitality of God?
If you have you are blessed.
Have you ever been the outrageous hospitality of God to someone else?
If so you are God’s child.