Proverbs 25:6-7

Psalm 112

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Let us pray

Almighty God, give us such a vision of your purpose

and such an assurance of your love and power,

that we may ever hold fast the hope

which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

One of the themes in today’s lessons is hospitality.  From our Epistle reading we are reminded to “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”  What does it mean for our Christian community to provide hospitality.  In the Middle East in Jesus’ day hospitality was crucial.  One the greatest faults in that community was a failure to offer at least basic hospitality.  In the epistle from Hebrews the author reminds us that our offering hospitality goes beyond the offering of a glass of cold water on a hot day, although a glass or bottle of cold water on a hot day is certainly a welcome offering!  We are called to be open to encountering God’s messengers when we offer hospitality to the stranger. 

Jo Bailey Wells a teacher of Old Testament and director of Anglican Studies at Duke Divintiy School, offers this reflection on the reading from Hebrews in her blog “How often have I mistaken angels for strangers? At what point did Mary identify her intruder as Gabriel during the annunciation? (Gabriel is not recorded as introducing himself to Mary). And, if an angel is an emissary from God—in both Hebrew and Greek the term simply translates as messenger—do we need to identify the stranger as an angel, or is the message rather about recognizing and receiving a word of grace from God through the encounter?

Hebrews 13:1 focuses on mutual love. As if taking for granted that strangers (or angels) will offer love, it is readers who are here exhorted to show hospitality, to show love, to respond mutually. I feel my normal definition of a stranger—someone I don’t know— being redefined. I already know that a stranger may turn out to be a gift. But here is a call for yet greater relational receptivity. A new definition is emerging: the stranger is anyone in whom I have yet to recognize God’s gift.”

So is it enough for us to offer God’s messengers a sack lunch and a cold bottle of water?  Is that offering hospitality?  Is it enough to show off our magnificent window to the pilgrim who enters into this building?  The way I see it the answer is yes…and no.  We do offer hospitality through our sack lunch program.  But do we look for God’s presence in those whom we offer lunch?   I have seen many of the members of this congregation go beyond offering a simple sack lunch and offering an ear to hear the story.  Many of you listen for God’s message and, as best we mortals can, offer God’s message of love to the hungry and hot.  However, many times we find it much more comfortable to listen for God’s message of love and reconciliation when it comes from “people like us” or people we hold as teachers or spiritual leaders.   But it is the stranger, the angel unawares and un-recognized, who comes in unannounced who may offer a message from God that we need to hear.  If we will only listen for it.

While Lynell is away on sabbatical I have been leading the Wednesday noonday prayers for healing.  I wondered, when I agreed to do it for the month, what the community would think about not having a priest and not having Eucharist as part of that service.  I wondered if I had the right gifts, or as popular culture would say “the right stuff” to offer prayers of healing.  The answers have been amazing.  Yes, there are some people who come looking for the nourishment that the Eucharist offers as well as the prayers for healing.  But not everyone.  Some people need the prayers of healing in community and the physical touch offered in the laying on of hands to get them through their days.  They need the reassurance that the people of God in this place care for and offer hospitality in many ways.  God sends these people to us with little to no effort on our part.  Through these people I was grown this month in my call to service.  Let me give you a few examples of Christian hospitality that I have observed.

A couple of weeks ago a gentleman walked in after the Wednesday service.  Marilyn and I thought he wanted to “see the windows”, as many people do when they find the doors open.  This man did want to see the pretty windows but he also wanted more.  He wanted to hear about God’s work in this place.  He wanted to know what we, as a community of God, believed.  He is searching for a place, Eucharistic in nature, that will feed and nourish his soul.  He needs someplace that acknowledges that no human has perfect knowledge.  Why did he wonder into our building?  Perhaps it was because it looked catholic.  Perhaps it was about looking at the windows.  Whatever it was he offered us a time to share with him God’s love that we find in this community.  It offered us an opportunity to offer hospitality and healing to a stranger. 

Last Wednesday we had two people who came into the service who I had not seen before.   One came in because the door was open and he wanted to see the church.  He stayed because he wanted prayers of healing and reconciliation.  I observed a number of the “regulars” make a point of talking to him and welcoming him to the church before the service began.  He wanted to talk about recovery. He wanted to feel the presence of God in his life. The other gentleman wanted prayers for a sister recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  He wanted to be in a community where he could offer up to God his concerns and love for his sister.  We were there to offer those things.  Then as I was leaving there was another person sitting on the steps.  They did not ask for anything as I left.  They probably were tired of being told “no” to their requests for hospitality.  When I offered a lunch and a cold bottle of water this person came alive.   He literally offered prayers of thanksgiving for a simple bag lunch and a cold bottle of water.

In these examples and many more I believe God was sending messengers, or Angels.  As I see it, God is, not so subtly, reminding us that we are being called in this place to offer hospitality to the hurting people around us.  If we open up our doors, both our physical doors and our emotional barriers, and offer true hospitality, we will be greatly blessed by God. 

Jesus, in today’s Gospel reminds us not to invite those who can repay us to our parties but to invite those who we don’t think can repay us.  We sometimes find it easier to offer hospitality to someone who we think will, or can repay us.  Jesus said “"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."   And I dare suggest that we will be rewarded well before out resurrections.

As I see it, St. Paul’s is called to offer a kind of radical hospitality to our hurting and hurtful world.  We are already doing that in ways small and often un-noticed. And we are being rewarded.  Our finances have stayed in good shape this summer; we did not have the usual summer slump in giving and participation at services.  The Wednesday noontime service is feeding peoples needs even when there is no Eucharist.  The Saturday service of prayers for Gods Justice and Peace help sustain people in this time of turmoil. 

People are hungry for healing and are seeking spiritual sanctuary all around us.  I would like to see us add another mid-week service this fall.  

This weekend marks the traditional end of summer vacations for many people.  Our choir is returning from their well-deserved summer break.  People are going back to school.  The fall is traditionally seen as a time to start things back up.  I believe that we, at St. Paul’s need to make a concerted effort during our fall stewardship events to look at how we can develop our congregation to respond to God’s call.  God keeps dropping people at our doorsteps.  I invite you to consider how can we make it obvious to the world that we are a place of hospitality, healing and welcome.  A place where the stranger can experience the love and reconciliation of Christ.