HELLO!

Our scripture reading for June 28^th is Matthew 10:40-42. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me (Jesus), and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me…and whoever gives even a cup of water to one of these little ones—truly I tell you, none will lose their reward.” Anything done in faith and love has cosmic significance for the ones involved and, indeed, for the world God loves so much. You probably know Loren Eiseley’s story of “the star thrower” — the one about the guy tossing starfish after starfish into the sea. When asked why, he replies if they don’t get back in the water soon, they’ll dry out and die. Looking at a beach strewn with thousands of starfish, the skeptic responds he can’t possibly hope to make any difference. To which “the star thrower” says, “To the ones I throw back, it makes all the difference in the world.”

At the beginning of this story, Jesus sends his disciples in mission without any means of support or defense — no gold or money, no bag, no change of clothes, not even a staff or sandals. They are completely dependent, first on God and then on the hospitality of the communities that receive them. Their vulnerability and dependence are the keys to the success of the mission. The vulnerability of “little ones” demonstrates the mission is wholly dependent on God’s power and presence. The power at work in this mission is fundamentally different in kind from other forms of human power. The theme that binds these relationships into being is “welcoming,” which is at the heart of every relationship. These acts of welcoming come at a cost that surpasses food, water, and shelter. They bind those who offer welcome with those who are welcomed.

The call to welcome the stranger is anchored in the Torah. When a traveler came to town, they waited by the well, and it was incumbent upon the townspeople to house and feed the visitor for the night. Of course, these travelers were rarely family. These were folks unknown to the community. They were aliens, often foreigners, people who had different foods, different clothes, different languages, different gods. Opening one's home was risky. But such hospitality was central to the Hebrew identity. The risk did not define the people; their hospitality did, for they knew such hospitality was central to the character of their God.

The same was true in the early Christian communities. Paul reminded the Romans to offer hospitality to the alien, and in Hebrews the people were reminded to show hospitality for in so doing some entertained angels unaware. Hospitality should be the central practice of the Christian church. Hospitality is the practice by which the church stands or falls. Welcoming another requires attention to the other. Matthew reminds us, when two or more are gathered in Jesus' name, Jesus is present as well.

Peace, Kevin