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Daily Scripture

Saturday June 27, 2009

+ 12th in Ordinary Time

A little hospitality, please.

Readings: Genesis 18:1-15 Responsorial: Luke 1:46-55 Matthew 8:5-17

At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son. Sarah dissembled, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But he replied, “Yes you did.” [Genesis 18:14-15]

You need to read, of course, the entire passage to get the gist and understand the message. It’s part of the longer story of Abraham, “our father in the faith” and Sarah, our “mother” in the faith. Yes, I think that Sarah must be named as such with Abraham. Why not? It was she who bore Isaac in her elder years. And yes, wouldn’t you laugh if someone told you a ninety year old woman was going to have a baby, notwithstanding the wonders of modern bio-technology?

At root, this story is about hospitality and faith and the ability to trust that welcoming the ‘stranger’ on to our turf can give birth to new visions and dreams and uncover hidden realities that can chart a new future.

No, I’m not suggesting that we go out into the streets and invite the first stranger to your table. That would be lunacy! However, I think we could take the risk of ‘engagement’ with the stranger. By this I mean to lighten up and smile. Open up to a little spontaneous conversation with someone while your waiting to check out on the grocery line or at the gas pump or on the elevator. Some people will ignore you. Most will not.

When I’m on the elevator at Morristown Memorial Hospital with one of the maintenance crew or a medical technician, I ask, “Do you own this place?” The responses are interesting ranging from, “I wish I did” to “I’m glad I don’t.” Sometimes the conversation continues outside the elevator and we discover that we share the same concerns about medicine about the care of the sick and just about getting through hard times.

We are living in a world that is becoming more and more vulgar in discourse. I think we need more ‘tone setters’ such and you and me to facilitate a change in attitudes. New attitudes can begin with a smile followed by a laugh or two. In this way, we can lighten one another’s burdens and become animators rather than victims of our age and circumstances.

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