Day 7: Feb. 28
Gaza Hospitality
from Rev. Chris Shorow
One of the most incredible meals I have ever had was in Gaza. We visited Israel after I graduated from college, and we were able to stay with a family in Gaza. They welcomed us with a meal that was over-the-top extravagant. Lamb, beef, chicken, and various sauces and dips perfectly complemented the meal. It was delicious, full of flavors and herbs I had never had before.
We all dipped into family-style bowls with the utensils we were given—pieces of bread. This kind of sharing made our dining experience very intimate, and we had a wonderful time getting to know each other. I was blown away by the generous hospitality. Why would they welcome strangers from so far away with such a marvelous feast? I asked our host, and he said that the most important teaching of his faith was to welcome the stranger. He was a Palestinian Christian. That night, he helped me understand that my faith also called me to reach out to the stranger—with extravagant grace.
Hospitality is one of the great themes of the Bible. Over and over again in the Hebrew Bible, we are told to welcome the stranger. And Jesus' ministry was full of welcome to everyone—the widows, orphans, blind, lame, and poor. All are welcome.
In one of his Christmas sermons, Martin Luther was preaching to his congregation about the poor hospitality shown to Joseph and Mary by the people of Bethlehem. "There are many of you who think to yourselves: 'If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the baby!'…You say that because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time, you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem…Why don't you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor." Yes, that's what I learned that night in Gaza—Christ is in our neighbor and we are called to reach out.
As we gather each week at the table, Jesus invites us to share our bread. The amazing thing is that instead of being the host, we find that we are actually the guests and that in sharing bread with others, Christ, the true host, is present to bring blessing into our lives. We are all strangers who have been graciously welcomed and made to feel at home. We are fed the family meal, the bread of life—Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!