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 Father’s
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.
Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards/winner in psychology
American Bookfest Best Books Awards finalist
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