Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The FIFA football world cup is on. Canada, Mexico, and the United States are cohosting this global event. As tourists from across the world come to these countries, often for the first time, it is interesting to read about their reactions to the country. I read that one of the things by which people are taken aback in the United States is the hospitality and friendliness of the American people. They expected to experience the xenophobic rhetoric that has been characteristic of the political establishment. But they have been pleasantly surprised. They feel encouraged by the hospitality they experience on the streets. This is my experience too. If we leave the political rhetoric aside, the average American is the most hospitable person in the world. And this is wonderful.
Hospitality in Today’s Scriptures
The main theme of today’s scripture readings is hospitality. Today’s first reading from the book of Kings tells us the heartwarming story of prophet Elisha. He was used to passing through Shunem on his way to Mt. Carmel. Scripture does not tell us her name, but a wealthy Shunammite woman showed him great hospitality along the way. She invited Elisha to dine with her, but later, along with her husband, built him a room so that he would find a place to rest on his journeys. The woman did this without any expectations. However, ultimately, she was rewarded for her extraordinary hospitality. She and her husband were blessed with a child they always wanted.
In today’s gospel reading too, Jesus stresses the value of hospitality. Jesus says, “Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple, he will surely not lose his reward" (Mt 10:42). Since the gospel of Matthew was written during great persecution, he was hoping that his writing would provide respite to the beleaguered followers of Christ.
Both instances of hospitality in today’s scripture are instances within the faith tradition. But the larger body of teaching of the Judeo-Christian scripture does not limit hospitality toward people withing the tradition. In the Old Testament, hospitality towards strangers is incorporated into Mosaic Law (Ex 22:21). In Matthew’s “Whatever you do to the least of these brothers and sisters, you do it to me,” (Mt 25:40), is integral to salvation itself. The parable of the Good Samaritan is yet another inspiring teaching about hospitality toward people outside the tradition (Lk 10:35-47).
In other words, hospitality, kindness, goodness, and generosity toward others are meant to be the hallmark of Christian discipleship both toward people within and outside the tradition.
Hospitality is a Way of Life
Biblical hospitality is not merely the occasional act of kindness, but rather a way of life. Biblical hospitality is an internal disposition. It comes an awareness of the interconnectedness between all people. Most of all, it is more than having a flawless home where we can host friends and acquaintances. Hospitality is about meeting the needs of people and meeting them where they are. It involves practical care—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick or imprisoned, (Matt 25:34-40).
Jesus gave hospitality a whole new dimension when he connected himself to the needs of the needy. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,” has two radically new dimensions. First, the radicalness of Jesus’ hospitality is seen when he identifies himself with the “least.” He is them and they are Him. Second, the hospitality offered to the “least” is seen as hospitality toward Christ. What is done to the least human is done to the eternal Christ.
The practical implication is simple. In the same way that Jesus was hospitable by identifying himself with the least, we must be hospitable. And when in our hospitality we meet the needs of people Jesus identifies himself with, on the one hand, we address real human needs. But behold, on the other hand, we encounter Christ himself. These two dimension takes hospitality from being an occasional act of kindness to it being a way of life.
Inhospitality is Inhuman
As opposed to today’s gospel call, there is a narrative being created today that focuses on “us versus them.” There is citizen versus immigrant, Black versus White, rich versus poor, traditionalist and progressive, conservative versus liberal, and even male versus female. Moreover, it has become so common to villainize immigrants, to induce hate toward people we disagree with, and to look at people outside our country, our culture, our religion, as undesirable people. I believe that something integrally human is lost when we imagine life this way. We forget that which is common to all of us. We are all human. We are all God’s children. We all have the same basic needs. We all seek to live in freedom and hope.
Against this ‘us versus them’ narrative, today’s scripture readings invite us to think differently. They invite us to focus on kindness, goodness, hospitality, and generosity not merely as merely as human virtues but also as a divine calling. More than at any other time, the need for hospitality is felt across the world today.
As I write this homily, the Supreme Court has ended the Temporary Protected Status of hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians.We are Americans, but we are equally Christians. It is one thing for the FIFA world cup tourists to experience the hospitality of the American people. It is quite another for immigrants, the refugees, the poor, the landless, the needy, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, and those in prisons and immigrant detention centers to experience our hospitality as American Christians.
- Fr. Satish Joseph