Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. -Hebrews 13:1-2
Have you ever noticed on the home improvement shows on HGTV, everyone looking for a new house or remodeling their current one says, “We love to entertain and need to make sure there is space for entertaining our guests. We just love to have people over.” It makes me wonder – is that a requirement to be on these shows? Hospitality must be a core virtue?
I think it makes me suspicious because the thought of having people over and “entertaining” for fun makes me personally incredibly anxious. I would love to see a show in which the people said, “We are actually cranky misanthropes who hate having people in our space, and we worry about being good enough to offer hospitality to others.” That feels much more honest to me, because the thought of entertaining people, and that they might be angels is frankly, terrifying.
Jesus, as usual, goes all in. In the gospel reading for Sunday, Jesus says to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.” (Luke 14:12) Not only should we offer hospitality, we should offer it to those we don’t even know, who don’t look like us, speak like us, parent like us, vote like us… As if offering hospitality to angels wasn’t terrifying enough.
Perhaps my real discomfort comes from the idea of being the one who is the guest, and who is unable to offer any payment in return. The idea of being a burden to someone, to take without giving back – there is a certain lack of power that is disconcerting. And yet, that is the grace that God offers to us. We have been redeemed by the one true host who has offered us a seat at the table, whether we are deserving of such a seat or not. The host who has invited us to a party with a cost that cannot be repaid.
May I be humble enough to accept the invitation. And wise enough to turn off HGTV.