Hospitality
- Michael Haldas
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
“Why is hospitality incumbent on every Christian? Hospitality flows to us from our provident Creator, who daily sustains us all. These gifts are to be shared with others, as He so richly shares with us.” (Dynamis 10/16/2020)
“Because of his hospitality and piety, Lot was saved from Sodom (Genesis 19) when all the country round was judged with fire and brimstone, when the master made it clear that he does not abandon those who set their hope on him but delivers to punishment and torment those who turn away from him. Because of her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved (Joshua 1-2). For when the spies were sent out to Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the country found out that they had come to spy out the land and he sent out men to intercept them so that when they had been captured they might be executed. So the hospitable Rahab took them in and hid them in an upstairs room under stalks of flax.” (St. Clement of Rome)
“There were twelve baskets of pieces remaining so that we might learn how much hospitality is able to accomplish, and that whatever we have is multiplied when we offer it to those in need [Luke 9:12-17]… And what do we infer from this? A plain assurance that hospitality receives a rich recompense from God.” (Blessed Theophylact, St. Cyril of Alexandria)
“Hospitality is a significant Christian virtue. The Greek word for hospitality is “philoxenia” which literally means a love for strangers. It certainly can be used for taking care of family, friends and neighbors, but it has that special idea of providing for the need of strangers. Think about the Genesis 18 story of Abraham showing hospitality in the desert to the three angels (referenced in the Hebrews quote above). The early Christians were renowned for showing hospitality not only for their fellow Christians but towards non-Christians. So much so that the Emperor Julian the Apostate who tried to lead the Empire away from Christianity complained that it was exactly the Christian’s hospitality toward the unwanted of society (the sick, unwanted, the helpless) even those who weren’t Christian which caused so many people to join their ranks! Julian disapproved of Christianity but could see with his own eyes how hospitable they were and how pagans were awed by the Christian practices of mercy and charity towards people that their society neglected (like orphans and widows).” (Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“…the model for human personhood is not only Christ, in whose image we are made, but also Panaghia, in whom Christ took on flesh and then walked among us. Hospitality is primary in the human response to God because this welcoming is the essential support we offer to conception. For it is not just Christ but all those whom we love and whom we have granted space within us, that we must allow to be born within us…We have to develop spiritually to the point that certain sins will become “inconceivable.” You should already be giving all of your hospitality to Christ, to your spouse, to others–until there is simply no more room in you to give hospitality to the sort of dark suggestions that are coming from the abyss.” (Timothy G. Patitsas)
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