Everyone is Welcome
“Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is receiving the stranger on his own terms, and asserts that it can be offered only by those who have found the center of their lives in their own hearts. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” Henri Nouwen
“True hospitality is marked by an open response to the dignity of each and every person.” Kathleen Norris
We welcome Tripp Prince, of Wisdom Hunter’s thoughts today--
Every January, I am mindful of the way in which our resolutions this time of year have the ability to turn us inward, singularly concerned with our own well-being and personal improvement. We join a gym, start a new diet, or even in the name of Christ, take on a “Bible in a year” plan and resolve to read a classic of Christian spirituality.
And yet, if we are not careful, this interior renewal will fail to break forth into the exteriority of our lives. Renovation begins within the heart, yet it is undoubtedly meant to transform our families, church relationships, and societal structures.
As I reflect upon this theme, I am aware of this fact: my life in Christ is incomplete if it does not birth within me an unshakable love for those who are different than me.
During the Christmas and Epiphany seasons, we celebrate Jesus Christ, born a devout Jew, who is celebrated as the “light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 49:6). Our cultural separation from the ancient world keeps us from immediately feeling the shock and disorientation of these words.
Do you think St. Paul was surprised by some of the things he said? Paul, by his own self-description, was “a Hebrew born of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5). And yet, here in today’s reading he professes, without even a hint of bitterness or resentment, that “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6).
If the gospel isn’t life giving and liberating for your neighbor, it isn’t good news. And as Paul reminds us, “neighborliness” is radically reframed and reoriented in light of Christ. No longer is my neighbor simply those who agree with me – who vote as I vote, shop where I shop, or speak as I speak – but is my fellow human and image bearer of God, regardless of one’s education, wealth, or personal power.
In short, the condescension of Christ frees us to take the seat of humility with joy and gratitude in our hearts. Every human interaction is an invitation into growth, to expand your view of the world and your place within it.
P.S. Here is a “Welcoming Prayer” guide to help invite Jesus into the uncertain and clouded spaces of your life.