Hebrews 13:1-8
I love this passage from St. Paul. It is always striking to me. It goes against our cultural view and conventional wisdom.
How often when i was growing up i would hear the following out of the mouths of my teachers, my parents, my aunts and uncles, and my teachers again and so on so forth..."stranger danger."
Kids today continue to speak that. We are taught and we teach them to avoid strangers, to be cautious, to watch out, be on guard.
Especially today with the rise of violence and the unsettling reality of attacks on the innocent. Every one is stock piling guns and getting ready to defend themselves.
On the radio we hear all about the gun laws and gun regulation and the 2nd Amendment.
Yet, St. Paul directs our gaze in a holier direction. Listen to his words, "Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels."
That is a far cry from stranger danger.
What are we to do? Should we be cautious? Should we be on guard? Should we be suspicious of every one who comes our way that is unfamiliar?
Should we be hospitable?
Hospitable is a good word for us to ponder this friday as we move toward Lent.
Hospitable: given to generous and cordial reception of guest, offering a pleasant environment.
Something to think about as we turn toward the weekend.
How do we receive others in our midst?
Secondly the word angel simply means messenger.
Angels are in deed messengers of God's will in our life. Often times we think of heavenly messengers mingling with us here and now.
But God can also use the "two legged" kind to deliver a message as well. Regular people like you and me can be God's messengers. Think about all the people we meet on a regular basis. Do we receive them? Are we open to perhaps how God is using them in our life to speak to us?
We want to be especially open to those people we think are unfit or unworthy of our space and time. These also God can use.
Be on the look out for 100% chance of angels coming your way.
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