Service, stewardship, hospitality and contemplation are age-old values. Abraham drops everything to welcomes three strangers into his home, while his wife Sarah is unexpectedly forced to prepare an elaborate meal for them. Mary of Bethany sits at the feet of the Lord, clinging to His every word. Her sister Martha occupies her time with the business of "playing the perfect hostess" - with a little resentment thrown in for good measure.
Hospitality is much more than just being "hospitable." Hospitality is being present to the moment and being present to one another in ways that go beyond mere activity.
God most often comes to us in unexpected ways. We might expect that God will come to us while we are in church or as we engage in personal prayer. But God is just as likely to come to us in the supermarket,on the soccer field, or as we nap on the backyard patio. God can come to us at any time or in any place. The same is true for those "guests" who wander into our lives.
Let’s take a look at Abraham for a moment. As soon as he sees the three men, he immediately offers them his hospitality - water to bathe their feet, bread, milk, and meat to eat. Nothing in this reading indicates that Abraham sees these men as special. They are simply strangers to welcome. But in welcoming them, Abraham welcomes God. This reading tells us that the context in which we are most likely to meet God is in our service to others, especially service to those we do not know.
We are always serving family and friends. This is as it should be. But it is when we extend ourselves to the stranger that we are most likely to encounter God. When we open ourselves to those who are different from us, when we offer hospitality to someone of a different race, religion, or orientation we can most expect God to speak to us and bless us.
The scriptures speak forcibly to us today. As followers of Christ we should be the first to advocate for just and generous immigration laws as well as to strongly denounce unjust deportation practices because we understand that God is to be found in the stranger, and we are all blessed when we welcome those who show up at our doorstep.
We can learn a lesson from Abraham, Sarah, Mary and Martha. There are times when we need to be busily engrossed in our duties. But we need to take heed. Both in the family and in our parish, we can let our activities become the driving force in our lives. Without sitting at the feet of the Lord and “listening” to his truth, we can become so wrapped up in our duties that we lose sight of the reason we are ministering in the first place.
