Hospitality

The time seems to have gotten away from me at least this week. There seems to be times when I am not sure if I can discipline myself to sit down and write. This week was one of the times when there seems to be so much going on that I have distracted myself. I have also been contemplating some of the activities that are coming up for our church. We will be having a planning retreat to focus a vision statement to improve our ministries.
Two of those ministries deal with worship and welcoming. I was struck with the lectionary suggestion from the gospel of Luke this Sunday. Jesus was eating with a Pharisee and noticing how people were trying to get the seats of honor. He pointed out to those who were trying to exalt themselves to not seek the best seats but rather choose a lower seat and if the host or hostess wishes you to take the seat of honor you will not embarrass yourself. He also spoke to the host that instead of inviting friends, family, or rich neighbors the guest list should be the poor, the lame, the crippled, and the blind. Those who cannot return the invitation. Today was communion Sunday. Even though we celebrate communion weekly on Wednesdays, I felt that today especially was important to remember that the table of the Lord is open to everyone, pharisee, rich neighbors, disciples, poor, disadvantaged in all ways, and most of all to sinners. There are no pre-conditions to coming to the table.
Instead of the usual visuals on the altar, I set up two table settings with the bread and the cup. It struck me that we need to remember that the setting of the Lord's Supper was a dinner with his disciples. Meals are so important to developing who we are. It was true in Jesus' time as it is in our time. Meals are a time we gather together to share with one another. I believe that we not only need to recover this time we have with our families and friends but with others around us. Somehow fast food or noisy restaurants are not the same thing. Sitting down together to share food for our bodies and to share the word for our souls are important. The question is when was the last time we have invited the stranger to sit down with us. Hospitality often can mean generosity shown to strangers.
Something to think about this Labor day weekend.