During the first week of Lent we have been exploring the story of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke, and in particular, the idea that it’s possible that we may be both neighbour and stranger at the same time.
The question on the devotional card for Wednesday in the first week of Lent asks:
“Have you ever received profound hospitality? How did it impact you?”
I am sure I have received profound hospitality many times in my life, but the example that immediately comes to mind is a trip to Guatemala in 2007. My colleague in ministry at St. John’s, Linda Yates and I co-led a youth trip, which was planned in consultation with facilitators from the Breaking the Silence Network in Nova Scotia and Guatemala.
The online Webster’s dictionary defines the word “hospitality” in this way:
a: given to generous and cordial reception of guests
b: promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome
c: offering a pleasant or sustaining environment;
And then, quite a different definition, one that I had not considered before:
2. readily receptive; open to new ideas.
Our journaling question on our first night, after almost 12 hours of travel time, was … “How does it feel to be a stranger, knowing that over the next 10 days strangers will be showing you hospitality?”
I had shared with my fellow travelers months before that during our preparation sessions that when I went to Central America the first time, 10 years before that, someone had challenged me to metaphorically “empty my hands” … to let go of my assumptions, my preconceived notions, my ideas of how I can help.
It was suggested that if we carry all these things with us, then our arms are not able to accept the gifts that the people we are visiting have to give us.
We remembered that idea our first night, and hoped that our hands were empty enough to experience the hospitality that was about to be bestowed on us.
We asked ourselves, if hospitality is, as the definition suggests, also being readily receptive, being open to new ideas, would we be up to the challenge?
What would it mean for us to show hospitality to strangers in this setting?
One of the many memories from that trip was that everywhere we went they wanted to feed us. Despite the fact that they had very little, and what they put out for us to eat would have used up much of their own food for the rest of the family, we were always given something to eat. And we were expected to return that act of hospitality by sitting down with them and eating. Not in a hurry, not on a schedule, but to eat and visit.
I continue to reflect nearly 20 years later on the idea of both receiving and giving hospitality, being both stranger and neighbour.
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip, as well as the group photo at the top. And yes, that is Rod MacInnes, a parent of one of the youth, who brought his “parlour pipes” with him and entertained many of all ages during our trip.
Here’s the link to the Thursday morning check in … and again, sorry I didn’t do it correctly last week. Come for a short check in or a longer conversation. I’d love to hear about your Lenten journey. If for some reason it still doesn’t work … the link is also on our website under the “Lent 2025” category under “Ministries” … or send me an email and I will invite you from the Zoom meeting!
Topic: Lenten Journey Coffee Check-In
Time: Mar 13, 2025 10:30 AM Atlantic Time (Canada)
Every week on Thu, until Apr 17, 2025, 6 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88611274887
Meeting ID: 886 1127 4887
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