Hospitality and Welcome
We find in today’s Gospel one of the most familiar Biblical stories of hospitality. Lazarus may have come home early to let his sisters know that Jesus and his friends were coming for dinner. Mary and Martha tidied up the house and began dinner preparations. The guests arrived as one sister prepared the meal and the other sister welcomed the guests and shared in the pre-dinner conversation. This is a scene very familiar to us, especially those of us who have homes without open concept, where one or more are preparing food in the kitchen and the others are in the living room making lively conversation so the guests feel at home.
Listen to or read Deacon Nancy Crawford’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
Welcoming the Christ in Others
Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” In the Gospel today Jesus is getting at an idea he is going to flesh out further later in the Gospel. It is the idea that in other people we can find Christ. In this section it is all about welcoming Christ in the stranger, and that in the act of hospitality you are welcoming Christ. Later on, in Matthew 25, he expands that even more: I was hungry and you gave me food; thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was naked and you clothed me; I was in prison and you visited me; I was injured and you bound me up; I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
