Developing a Rhythm of Life – Part 9
This is the last post on this series, other than a post that will string together each of the posts on developing a rhythm (rule) of life. The last area in which I have developed a rhythm of life is the rich tradition of hospitality. Paul in his letter to the Romans writes: "Dont’ burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help the needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality." (Romans 12:11-13 The Message)
Here is what some of the ancients had to say about this topic.
"The source of hospitality is the heart of God who yearns to unite every creature within one embrace." – The Rule of the Society of St. John the Evangelist
"It is Christ himself whom we receive in a guest. Let us learn to welcome; … let hospitality be liberal and exercised with discernment" – The Rule of Taize
Christine D. Pohl in her recent book Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition writes, "For most of the history of the church hospitality was understood to encompass physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of human existence and relationships. It meant response to the physical needs of strangers for food, shelter, and protection, but also a recognition of their worth and common humanity. In almost every case, hospitality involved shared meals; historically, table fellowship was an important way of recognizing the equal value and dignity of persons."
"Hospitality, because it was such a fundamental human practice, always included family, friends, and influential contracts. The distinctive Christian contribution was the emphasis on including the poor and neediest, the ones who could not return the favor. This focus did not diminish the value of hospitality to family and friends; rather, it broadened the practice so that the close relations formed by table fellowship and conversation could be extended to the more vulnerable.”
This part of our rhythm of life deals with practicing the art of hospitality. Here is how I plan to practice it this year. Why don’t you think about how you would like to practice it.
- Practice hospitality on a daily bases, helping people in small or large ways
- Always be ready to host people at my apartment whether they be strangers or friends, taking care of them as if they were Jesus
In the last post on this series, I will link to all of the posts thus far, so you can review what a rhythm of life is all about, and hopefully develop one for yourself.
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