Eastertide

May 21, 2019

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:9-15

We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us. –Acts 16:11-15

We need to revisit the heart of hospitality. In the first place, hospitality is not a milestone around our necks, an overbearing requirement to get ahead in the world or meet the expectation of others. Hospitality is a privilege for Lydia in our scripture today. She gets to welcome this wonderful man and all his friends into her home as perhaps a celebration of his great gifts which he shared with her.

My mother was a practitioner of the art of hospitality. I can just see her opening the door of our house with a big smile on her face saying, “Come in, it is so good to see you.” I do not think anyone left Mom’s house without at least being served a glass of water and usually was offered tea and something to eat. Now Mom could get into quite a frenzy preparing for guest and we kids were caught up in making everything just perfect but that was all a part of the joy of entertaining others.

The church in one of the few places left in the world where people of various generations can just, for a few moments, get to know one another and enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company. We say it every Sunday when we acknowledge that we are a people of the table. Jesus taught us to embrace hospitality as a reminder of his constant presence with us. While the formal service at the Lord’s Table is of highest importance, we celebrate his presence in every instance when two or three* are gathered in his name sharing good will along with cookies and coffee. Maybe if we practiced a little more hospitality, we would deal with a lot less hostility in our world today.

Prayer: Lord, teach us the joy of your hospitality as we share it with one another. Amen.

*Matthew 18:20

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.