Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Hospitality to Strangers - Entertaining Angels.

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:4-13 and Psalm 81:1, 10-16  •  Sirach 10:12-18 or Proverbs 25:6-7 and Psalm 112  •  Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16  •  Luke 14:1, 7-14

This week's letter to the Hebrews and gospel account are lessons in humility and hospitality. Jesus was invited to a Sabbath meal at the home of a leading Pharisee, and tells us where to sit - not in the place of honor, but in the lowest seats where we may be exalted and asked to move up, rather than embarrassed and asked to move down. his lesson, and the real heart of the lesson, is to have the heart of a servant. "The next time you throw a party, don’t invite your rich friends and neighbors, so that they might return the favor some day and invite you to one of their nice parties. Rather, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Then you will be blessed, because they can’t repay you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” See The Rev. Dr. Joseph Pagano's "Awaken the Servant Within."

Read Steve Goodier's wonderful story about Booker T. Washington, and lesson in humility and spirit in "A Humble Spirit ."

Finally we have that beautiful passage from the letter to the Hebrews,"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." Who are angels who may have shown us hospitality? What is it to be hospitable? What happens when we are hospitable to others? See The Rev. Larry Patten's "Was He an Angel?"



 

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