Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 14:1; 7-14
The nomadic peoples of the ancient Middle East considered it a serious moral duty to offer nourishment and protection for travelers passing their way. The heat of the day, coupled with the scarcity of food and water, were themselves life-threatening. Travelers weakened by a lack of nourishment were also easier prey for robbers. In Genesis 18, we see how Abraham sees three travelers passing by “in the heat of the day”. He runs to them and practically begs them to honor him by letting him serve them food and drink. After Abraham’s generous hospitality, one of his guests is revealed as the Lord himself, who in turn blesses Abraham with what can easily be seen as an act of hospitality, assuring him that he would finally have a son by that time next year. Thus, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are in the Promised Land, not as owners but as nomadic wanderers who live in the Lord’s land. They are to trust in the Lord’s hospitality to them and to show that same hospitality to others. They live as outsiders, seemingly with no status in this land, yet they are the ones whom the Lord welcomes. Continue reading “Hospitality”
