The Passionate Shepherd!
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).
God serves us every day with gifts from His Kingdom. He created the people we enjoy, the food we eat the shelter that comforts us and the Church that serves us. How can we return this kindness? These gracious acts from God to man should be the collective model of our behavior toward Him! God’s love for us is never idle!
We have a great example in the New Testament with the Book of Acts, where St. Luke writes about the body of believers in the early Church. Christian converts were teaching about Jesus in synagogues. This transformation of Christian beliefs caused serious turmoil in Rome, so Emperor Claudius Caesar began expelling all Jews. St. Paul met a Jewish couple named Priscilla and Aquila in the city of Corinth, after they had relocated from their home in Italy. They helped St. Paul in his ministry by offering their new home and meals, and by sharing in the mission of his apostolic work. This story from A.D. 49 upholds the importance of hospitality, and the collaboration between two immigrants and a missionary. More specifically, a strong married couple supporting the ministry of the Church! The encounter between Priscilla, Aquila and St. Paul is a powerful witness of how the Church grew, survived persecution and continues today.
My husband Dick and I recently relocated to a new and unfamiliar area. We built a place to offer hospitality to those in ministry. St. Francis of Assisi said, “It is in giving that we receive!” So true! Our visitors provide us with a new perspective on life, and a reason to feel hopeful about the future of the Church. Like St. Paul’s mission, we are called to strengthen the message of Jesus in our communities. The love from Priscilla and Aquila provided more than shelter and nourishment for the disciples of Jesus. Prayers with encouragement are also needed today for our priests and religious, as well as lay people – with or without families.
A group of priests from the Diocese of Evansville joined us recently for a day retreat and lunch. They were traveling through the area to see a play in Indianapolis. This ‘priest support’ group has been together in friendship and spiritual backing since the 1970s. Some are still serving as pastors; others are retired, but still actively serving the Church with Sacramental responsibilities.
As I humbly looked around the meal table, I was curious about the number of years these men collectively had spent serving as the Person of Christ to the faithful. I later calculated that we had enjoyed the company and the experiences of more than 238 years of ministry at our table. I cannot imagine how many baptisms, marriages and funerals they have celebrated – or the number of hours spent in the confessional – and the times they stood at the Altar Table offering the gift of the Eucharist.
We served lunch to a small army of angels that day, and we are grateful for their service as Catholic priests. Please take time to express gratitude to the priests who bring the grace of God into your life. It is through this partnership that we are enjoying 41 years of marriage, and are blessed to raise our children and grandchildren in a thriving Church.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” ( John 10:27) Amen!
