Guest Post from Dr. Dennis Ortman: Hospitality

 


HOSPITALITY

I mean to stay at your house today.”

--Luke 19: 5

 

How would you react if you received a personal call from some celebrity, such as the Pope or the President, asking you to have a private dinner with him at your home. Your initial reaction would likely be shock. Why me?” you would ask, thinking you are not worthy of such an honored guest. Then, panic, How can I prepare for such a guest?” As reality sets in, you begin scrambling to put your house in perfect order. All the clutter would be thrown out. You would clean until the place was spotless. You would likely obsess about what to serve for dinner, trying to guess what your guest would like most. You would set the table with your finest linen, plates, and silverware. And you would cook up a storm. How privileged you would feel to entertain such an important person.

DIVINE HOST

When people ask me what happens after we die, I answer, We return to where we were before we were born.” Ultimately, we do not know with any intellectual certainty. However, the Scriptures give us a clue. They speak of the unknowable in vivid images that give a glimpse of the glory that awaits us.

Heaven is described as a wedding banquet in which choice food and wine are served. God is the Divine Host. Jesus promised his disciples, In my kingdom you will eat and drink at my table, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22: 30) We will feast together and share Divine Life. Jesus went to the highways and byways to invite everyone to this banquet. He only asks that we dress properly, putting on the robe of holiness. That robe is a life of faith, hope, and love.

In his last supper discourse (another meal), Jesus told his disciples:”Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and faith in me. In my Fathers house there are many dwelling places; otherwise, how could I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you? I am indeed going to prepare a place for you, and then I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 1-4) God invites us to live in joy with Him forever in His house.

At every Eucharist, we anticipate and share in that heavenly banquet. God is present in the bread we eat and the wine we drink. He shares His life with us.

DIVINE GUEST

The Scriptures also present another vision of heaven in which God reverses roles with us. The kingdom of God is not just beyond, in the afterlife. It is also present now. Jesus announced: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Reform your lives and believe the good news.” God comes to dwell within us now, not later. In such a view, God is the Divine Guest, and we are His hosts.

The one who knocks on our door, asking for entrance into our heart, is no less a celebrity than almighty God Himself. Jesus looked up a tree, saw Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector and sinner, and said, Zacchaeus, hurry down. I mean to stay at your house today.” To prepare for such a noble guest, Zacchaeus promised to give half his wealth to the poor and to pay back fourfold anyone he defrauded. His life was transformed. Jesus told him, Today, salvation has come to this house.” (Luke 19: 1-10)

In the same way, God seeks entrance to our house. He knocks constantly. We do not seek him; He comes to us. We only have to recognize the sound of His voice. It comes as a quiet gentle whisper, which we can only hear if we are silent. We need to shut out the noise of our everyday life and be still. That is prayer: listening with full attention, undistracted by all our cares.

If we hear His voice, how do we prepare for our Divine Guest? Our first response is to acknowledge that we are unworthy. Then, we are filled with gratitude for so great a gift of His presence. That joyful gratitude motivates us to clean house. We recognize all the clutter, the entanglements, that need to be removed to make room for our Guest, to give Him the place of honor. Our lives are cluttered with many false idols, such as cravings for possessions, power, and privilege. These idols must be destroyed and replaced with the adornment of a holy life. We set the table for God by dying to our old selves and purifying our hearts. We empty ourselves to be filled by God. Jesus said, Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5: 8) We let God move in, take possession of us, and live through us in the world.

In our daily life, we welcome God into our heart by our openness to others. Jesus said, Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.” (Mark 9: 36) In caring for those in need, we show God hospitality. Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me,” Jesus taught. (Matthew 25: 40) God knocks for entrance in everyone we meet. Do we see His face, hear His voice?

At every Eucharist, we welcome the Divine Guest into our hearts, share His life, and celebrate with joy.

We may become so preoccupied with going to heaven, resting in God, that we ignore what is hidden in plain sight. God, the Divine Guest, knocks at the door of our heart continually. He seeks to dwell within us, to rest in us. Allowing Him entrance gives us a taste of the joy which is promised fully in the heavenly banquet, when we shall see Him face to face.

Dennis' books have earned the following awards:
Book of the Year Finalist (two books)
Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards/winner in psychology
American Bookfest Best Books Awards finalist

Read more posts about Dennis and his books HERE

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