“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” (Matthew 10:40)

The major theme for this 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time focuses on the virtue of hospitality as our sacred duty, works of mercy and as a mean of witnessing to our Christian faith.

In the ancient biblical time, a visitor who travels through and requests assistance is regarded as a living reminder of the Jewish people’s former struggle as wandering foreigners and enslaved strangers in Egypt, Babylon and by other powerful nations. A stranger in need is to remind us of our present status as wayward pilgrims on earth. Therefore, any visitor should be welcomed and treated with love in the name of God who loves all people.

Rather than treating a visitor as a burden or a debtor, or as someone to be mistrusted, or an occasion for complaints, a host is to take pleasure in welcoming the visitor who cannot compensate the host for services received.
In the Old Testament, the stories of Abraham and other biblical figures illustrate the hospitality in which a guest should be treated.
In the New Testament, when Paul calls on the early Christians to show hospitality to strangers, he links hospitality to Christ’s commandment to love. Moreover, the Golden Rule “Do to others what you want them to do to you” should apply in our lives, treating any visitor as Christ. Hospitality appears to be the standard by which the host’s and the visitor’s futures will be decided.

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to practice the Christian virtue of hospitality, to follow Jesus Christ more closely, to repent our sins, to exercise our Christian stewardship, to use our time, treasure, and talents to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves, participating in the works of mercy, to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God.  

How can we help each other practice hospitality, offering generously of ourselves?

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.