Hospitality

Henri Nouwen once told about a time when he visited a monastery on retreat. The monks at that monastery observed vows of silence and the retreat was to be meditative and prayerful. Nouwen was delayed and had to arrive late on a rainy night, well after bedtime. He was met at the door by one of the brothers who greeted him warmly. The brother took his wet coat and brought him to the kitchen for a cup of tea. 

They talked late into the night, and Nouwen began to relax and feel ready for the retreat. However, it dawned on him that this monk was supposed to observe silence, and so he asked, “Brother, why are you willing to sit and talk with me?” The monk replied, “Of all the duties of the Christian faith and the rules of my order, none is higher than hospitality.”

In its original form, “hospitality” combines two separate words, one meaning friend and the other meaning stranger. So from very early on, hospitality has carried with it the idea of making friends out of strangers.

At this time, when there is so much division in our country, I wonder how that would look for you and for me…

Let us pray: We thank you O God, for people who have shown hospitality to us, even when we were strangers to them. Give us eyes to see your image in each and every person we meet, and grant us the grace to welcome them as you would welcome them,  to serve them and you would serve them, and to care for them as you have cared for us. Amen.