WELCOMING

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”       Matthew 10:40

Throughout the bible – both the old and new testaments, hospitality is a constant expectation of good people. Everyone traveling had to rely on the generosity of others. There are many references to foot washing and preparing meals for others. Hospitality has been baked into life for centuries of civilization. But nowadays, it seems almost easier not to offer hospitality. It is common for people to have extra bedrooms that no one uses and big dining room tables that are only used a few times a year. We have become far less dependent on hospitality and a less a communal people.

We Episcopalians do our best to offer sincere hospitality to our neighbors and everyone who walks into our churches. We want people of all walks of life to feel welcome and honored. We are proud of the fact that outside our churches the signs say, The Episcopal Church Welcomes You.

In the 6th century Saint Benedict, the founder of western monasticism, wrote a Rule, a set of precepts for his brethren to live by. This short book he referred to as a simple rule for beginners has had a profound impact not only on monasteries and convents all over the world, but also on countless other Christians in its simple approach to living a life focused on God.

The Community of Divine Love, which Brother Dennis and I founded in 2010 was inspired by the Rule of Benedict. We took traditional vows of celibacy and voluntary poverty. We were mentored by the Order of Holy Cross, the oldest men’s Episcopal Benedictine Order in the United States.

Most Benedictine monasteries offer the hospitality of retreat space, but from the beginning ours was and is today hospitality to the incarcerated. Before Covid we were chaplains in the Los Angeles County jails where over 18,000 men and women are incarcerated. Every Sunday we and our volunteers brought church into three jail facilities with over 150 attending our services. One day as the men were preparing to come out of their cells for service one of the men yelled across to a trustee setting up the chairs, “what kind of church is this?” and the trustee responded, “It’s Episcopal, you know, the one who welcomes everyone.”

Radical inclusion is one of the reasons I love this church. We do not have any requirements; we are not checking to see if someone is qualified or the right kind of Christian. We welcome all to the table.  And remarkably, it is in walking in these dark and difficult places with those who are incarcerated that I have grown in my capacity for compassion. I didn’t know this was even possible, but it is. Listening to the stories of men and women living behind bars has made me a better person. I have witnessed miracles of faith and resilience in the face of great suffering. I have also seen what real contrition looks like when someone stops justifying and carries the full weight of having caused harm. This is where I see and experience the presence of Christ.

At the same time some people can ring my bell, and my compassion goes right out the door! In the L.A. County jails some of the other chaplains were actively telling the women that if they were gay, they would go to hell forever and never know God. Once, one of the chaplains told the women that if they spoke to me that they would be thrown out of their programs and that the Episcopalians were leading them off a cliff into hell. It is hard to maintain a welcoming spirit in the face of such condemnation. So, how do we welcome difficult self-righteous people?

Maybe we can model our behavior after the advice Jesus gave his disciples when they went out to bring the Good News. He told them that if they were not welcomed or listened to, that they should take their peace back and shake the dust from their feet. He tells them to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.

We cannot control what other people think of us. All we can control is our efforts to seek and serve Christ in all people. I try to remember that hurt people hurt people and that all harm stems from pain. It is notable though that it is easier for me to see Christ in a criminal who is on his knees in repentance than a fellow Christian who is condemning gay women.

We can all welcome Christ into our hearts and into our homes and into our church.  And when it is difficult and we have trouble seeing Christ, we might ask for understanding. What is this situation asking of me? How can I honor myself and be welcoming? Maybe the serenity prayer is a helpful tool.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Today we are going to offer a warm welcome to Mateo. We will invite him into the loving arms of Christ and into the kind and generous congregation of St James. He will continue his journey with the Holy Spirit as a beloved child of God.

Sister Greta