5th after Trinity

Readings: Genesis 18v1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1v15-28; Luke 10v38-end.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In the readings today we learn about the tradition of welcoming others. In Genesis we hear about the ancient tradition of those who lived the nomadic life. For when they met other travellers, they offered the gift of welcome. This included a place to stop, a place to rest and a place to take refreshment. This is what we are hearing about as Abraham goes out to greet the three men, as Abraham bows down as a sign of friendship, and as Abraham invites them into his camp. Then, after the invitation was accepted, Abraham, his wife Sarah and their servant got on with preparing food and drink for their guests. Later, when the visitors were eating with Abraham, one of them told him that when they next met that his wife Sarah would have a son. Later scriptures tell us that even though Abraham and Sarah were very old that Sarah did go on to have a son and that son was named Isaac. It is from this account and others like them that the custom of always welcoming strangers, because they just might be angels is based. For to Abraham, these three men were angels who came with a message from God. A message that was fulfilled even though it seemed impossible. A message that God had many years before promised to Abraham, when God foretold that he and Sarah would be the parents of as many descendants as the stars in the night sky.

In Luke, we hear about another time of welcoming visitors. This time it is when Jesus and his disciples were visiting Jesus’ friends: Lazarus, Martha and Mary. When they arrived, Martha got on with the work of fulfilling all that was expected of her in the welcoming of visitors. Meanwhile, Mary sat listening to what Jesus was saying. This so upset Martha that she complained to Jesus and asked him to send Mary to help her, but Jesus did not. Instead he told Martha to stop fussing because Mary had chosen the better thing. This reading has often made me wonder about the tradition of welcoming others in Jesus’ time. I wonder whether it had become a complex and onerous task. Maybe like having to put on, at the last minute, an unplanned and unexpected feast? I also wonder if Jesus’ instruction to stop fussing was simply telling Martha that she was doing too much? Maybe Jesus expected her to do less so she could sit down with her guests? These thoughts about what Jesus meant have been the inspiration for me to do simple things when unexpected guests arrive. Such as giving cold water or diluted squash with ice in it on hot days or a warm drink of whatever is to hand on cold days. With a few light snacks made up of anything we have available at the time, maybe a few biscuits, a sandwich or even a fruit salad made up of the fresh fruit left over in the fruit bowl.

This custom of welcoming is one that continues to be a part of the work of the church . For not only can we offer some of what we have to hand, but we can also fulfil what is says in the psalm. For in our dealings with others, we must always: do the right thing, speak the truth, not mislead others, do no wickedness, not ridicule others, not go back on what we say we will do, not take bribes to harm the innocent and also lend to others without charging interest. For in doing these things, I believe that the psalm is simply asking us to act in ways that are kind to others and avoid doing them any harm. A way of behaving that the psalm tells us is a pure way of living, a way of behaving that honours the Lord, a way of behaving that saves a place for us in God’s kingdom.

For even though we are a flawed and sinful lot, God wants us to join Him in His kingdom. For as Paul explains in Colossians, through Christ’s death on the cross there is a way back to God for sinners. For all sinners can be presented before God as righteous and innocent, because of all that Jesus has done. But in order to benefit from the cross of Christ, Paul says we must stay loyal to the faith, steadfast in hope and dedicated in the love that has been shared with us. For Christ is: the image of God, the firstborn of all creation, the creator of all things, the head of the Church, the first born from the dead, the one in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and the one through whom God reconciled all things to himself. Today as we do what we can to welcome visitors and share what we have with them, I pray we will keep in mind that Christ is the centre of our faith, our hope and our love because he has opened the way for us to be presented to God in heaven.

Let us Pray: Almighty and eternal God, who governs and blesses the Church, may your world be governed by leaders obedient to you and your ways, so that your people may serve you in sacred tranquillity. We pray that all your people will fulfil the vocation to which you call them. May your people accomplish the ministry to which you have appointed them. Help your people to serve you with sincere devotion and true integrity, so your name is glorified in worship throughout the whole of the earth. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.