Sunday, 7/17/16
Today’s readings urge us to be hospitable people. Abraham,
on a hot summer’s day was airing himself at the opening of his tent when he saw
three strangers passing, and he went out to greet them. The most gracious thing
about his welcoming was that he made every kindness he offered look like a favor
to him. He thanked them for visiting him and for taking
water to wash and cool their feet.
Then, Martha, who had those thirteen big- eaters drop in on her,
was happing to have them; she just didn’t care for her sister acting like a
princess.
With all of Europe and ourselves being forced to put up with
migrants, we might take a lesson from God telling the Israelites, “Remember,
you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” A hundred and eighty
years ago when my ancestors arrived on our East Coast, they everywhere saw signs
saying “Irish Need Not Apply.”
With all the vast migrant movements this year, we might
recall how all seemingly stable nations were once migrants. The Jews, Syrians, and
Iraqis were once homeless Arabians who came up to Sumeria to do yard work. The
Irish, French and Germans were part of the Barbarian invasion [TS1] of
Europe between 300 and 500 A.D.
When Paul sent Titus to Crete to find priest-material, he
insisted that any candidate “must be hospitable
to strangers.”
If Jesus lets you in at the Last Judgment he will say, “I was a stranger, and
you welcomed me.”
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