06.28.2020 Homily

In Today's gospel reading, Jesus has really two messages for his disciples. The first message is that their faith must rest in him and everything else must become secondary. That being a disciple of Jesus is not a hobby. Being a disciple of Jesus is not just something you do when it's convenient, but that the word of the Lord is central in your life. And in all relationships, that word in a sense, governs those relationships that word lays down the principles by which those relationships take place. 

The second thing he is saying to his disciples is that if you are going to be my follow, where you're going to be a person of hospitality. So he says anyone who welcomes you is going to be really welcoming me and anyone who welcomes me really welcomes the father who sent me. So if you welcome a profit, you'll receive the reward of a profit. If you welcome a righteous person, you'll receive the reward of a righteous person. And if you show kindness to a little child and give that child a cup of cold water, because that child is my disciple, you will not lose your reward. 

Hospitality is a keystone of Jesus teaching about the kingdom. And hospitality is not necessarily, you know, having a lunch and inviting people in hospitality is an openness to receive whoever shows up.  Hospitality is the attitude of opening doors and not building walls. Hospitality is the willingness to accept all, whatever their diversity, whatever their difference, however, they appear to us to accept all as our sisters and brothers. That's what the hospitality is of which Jesus speaks. So he says to us, and he says to his disciples, put my word center in your life and everything else revolves around it and open the doors wide. Wide enough, or all to enter and refuse the temptation to build walls.