By Sister Marietta Wethington
I grew up in a very hospitable home. My parents always welcomed anyone who stopped by.
If it happened to be at mealtime, they were invited to eat with us. As I reflect on that, I am reminded that Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God is like a banquet where all people, regardless of age, skin color or economic standing, are invited.
That pushes me to a deeper reflection: Is our Church hospitable? Do we welcome everyone to the table, or do we have rules that limit our hospitality?
Is our country hospitable? Do we welcome neighbors from other countries – especially those from the south?
Do we really welcome those with different colored skin? The Latino person? The Black person? Do we really believe that Black Lives Matter? Or is that something we glibly recite because we have heard it so much?
It is my prayer that each of us will learn the way of hospitality, draw new neighbors from other places and build the kind of loving community that Jesus described.
Comments
I grew up as the second of seven children. Our home was the place where all the neighbor kids came to visit and hang out. We were also surrounded by dozens of cousins, most of them our first friends and most still friends now as we all are in our later years. Some have left us, and since my Mother was one of 13 children, the cousins are different age groups. I know most of the ones in my age group, but some of the youngest cousins are almost strangers to me.
My Mother was unfortunately very prejudiced where people of color were concerned, following the example of her parents. Dad was more in the public eye and color blind, so we had mixed messages from them. I met my first people of color in high school and found them to be true friends. My daughter saw her first black person when my sister took her to see her first movie. She came rushing in after the movie saying “there was a lady there with skin the color of oil, Mom. Is that okay?” After I told her that was okay she was satisfied and has thankfully never had the problems we faced as young children.
As for how we welcome people in our churches? Sometimes I get the impression that if Jesus Christ came into some of them He would be shunned because of the way he dressed or the way He looks. That is the shame of it all, that so many are Catholic but not Christian. There is a difference, and I prefer to call myself a Christian now and Catholic afterward. I believe in the right women have to control their own body but I firmly believe they should control it at all times, not just after they become pregnant. Murder is the killing of another person, not the control of our body. That baby has a body of it’s own. Executions are also state sanctioned murder and should be abolished. ALL lives matter to me.