A School for Love: Embracing True Hospitality at St. Monica’s

I have heard from some Christian writers that the church should be like a school for love; a place where you learn to love. I love that! I am always convicted when I come across the paraphrased scripture: “They will know that we are Christians by our love” (John 13:35) so I always wonder about how we can show that at St. Monica’s.

I came across a thoughtful reflection from the Episcopal Church Foundation that I would like to share with you, it has to do in part with how we show love to one another:

NOVEMBER 15, 2018

Hospitality Is More Than Being Nice to People You Like by Alan Bentrup.

We go to great lengths to welcome people in our homes – but those folks we invite all too often are people that we know and love already. Most folks who come to my house know me and understand my worldview, and we probably get along socially.

And I think too often we do the same thing with our congregations.

That’s being nice; that’s not hospitality.

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)

The New Testament word for “hospitality” (Greek: philoxenia) comes from a compound of “love” and “stranger.” Hospitality has its origin, literally, in love for strangers. Love for those different from us.

In Hebrews 13:1-3, the writer first cautions us to let “mutual love” (Philadelphia) continue, but that we shouldn’t neglect the love of others (philoxenia). We then are given an example of how this might look when we’re immediately told to remember those in prison or those being tortured.

Jesus gives us an example as well. In Luke, we’re told that sinners and tax collectors (outsiders, strangers) were coming to Jesus to listen to him, and the religious leaders didn’t seem to like it: “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2).

We like to say “The Episcopal Church welcomes you!” It’s a nice thought, but is it accurate for all of the people that “you” might represent in that slogan? Or do we too often welcome those we want to welcome while preferring that others keep on driving past our building? Do we welcome those who don’t dress like us, or those who aren’t as educated as us, or those who have a different theological position than us, or (especially now) those who don’t vote like us?

I pray that we do, and I know many congregations that strive to be welcoming and hospitable to all! But we’re human. We invite our friends over to our house for dinner, and we invite our friends to church.

That’s evangelism, to a point. And that’s hospitality, to a point. But we are called to more. We are called to offer hospitality, to offer philoxenia (the opposite of which is xenophobia…).

I pray that you find this reminder helpful.

As always, please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns about anything in your spiritual life and/or our life together at St. Monica’s.

Peace and grace,

Fr. Jonathan