Listen to the homily here.
Notes:
Notes:
I am excited this weekend for one word: hospitality
·
In a Catholic Dictionary (catholicculture.org) says:
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“The virtue [of hospitality is] of kindness and
generosity toward guests. It is
characterized by the spirit of welcome to visitors and strangers, and is one of
the conditions for salvation, foretold by Christ: ‘I was a stranger and you
made me welcome’”
o Kindness,
generosity, welcome
Our readings today teach us hospitality in the Bible
·
In Genesis, Abraham gave hospitality to three
men (or angels!)
o Abraham
said, “Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your
servant. Let some water be
brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.”
o His
family made bread, meat, curds and milk
o They
ate under this tree
o That
is hospitality
·
In Luke, Mary and Martha gave hospitality to
Jesus
o Service
and presence
o I’ll
see this at the end
Today I would like to share the hospitality in our family
and “thank you” to you
·
I was brand new to our parishes two years ago
o I
was a stranger and you gave me a house, food, drinking, visiting in your homes
for dinners
o Thank
you
·
The last two years your hospitality and
welcoming to people from Africa:
o Fr.
Francis, Fr. Charles, Fr. Albert, Fr. Solomon, Fr. Peter
§
You also gave gifts to their parishes back home
§
Thank you
·
You have assisted those who are homeless,
strangers or poor in our area
o Hotel
rooms, apartment, food
o Thank
you
·
You offered hospitality to two seminarians: now
Dcn. Beau Braun and now Kevin Ryan
o Thank
you
·
The last couple of weeks you offered hospitality
to our outside Mass and picnic
o Thank
you
·
Last week you welcomed and offered generosity to
the Totus Tuus teachers
o Thank
you
·
On and on and on
·
Thank you…thank you…thank you!
You can always grow in hospitality…like love you can always
get better
·
1.)
Presence beats stuff
o Back
to Martha and Mary
§
Jesus said to Martha, “anxious and worried about
many things”
o As
a priest, the welcome, hospitality and kindness is huge
§
Many would say, “I must clean my
house”
§
Just know that presence always
beats stuff, or what it looks like
o For
hospitality, give presence vs. stuff or appearance
·
2.) For visitors in our parishes
o Use
kindness to say “Hello” to visitors, open the door and welcome them, invite
them to sit by you and your family
§
That is hospitality!
o Your
hospitality will continue to grow our family both here and around the world
·
3.)
We have poverty in our own community
o Yes,
we have given thousands of dollars to support people here and around the world
o How
can you offer hospitality for the poor here
o A
great opportunity is helping our Community Café
o Or
what can you help for those that you know is poor?
§
Presence could be challenging, but you can give
a lot to visit them!
§
You can also offer kindness and generosity
§
You could make their day or save their life
Hospitality is awesome
·
Thank you again for your hospitality for many,
many people
·
And continue to grow in hospitality
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Whoever needs hospitality, look to them as you
could see Jesus Christ
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