Hospitality

In his book, The Celtic Way of Evangelism (Copyright 2000 by Abingdon Press), George Hunter compares and contrasts the Roman Church traditions of the first four centuries of the church with St. Patrick’s effort to bring the gospel to the Celts. One way Hunter begins to unpack the differences is to describe the respective monastic communities. The Roman monastic communities were generally removed from the center of the community and culture for purposes of renunciation of the world and to allow time to meditate on the divine. The Celtic monasteries on the other hand were planted in the center of the culture and community as an outpost to the community and a veritable lifesaving station for passersby.

Hospitality was a hallmark of these faith communities. What might you find if you stopped at one of these monasteries? When you arrived a porter would meet you, welcome you and introduce you to other members of the community. The abbot would inquire about your life situation and what brought you to their community, and then offer you a prayer, a scripture and a kiss of peace. The abbot’s time with you would conclude as he washed your feet and instructed his staff to make you a comfortable place to sleep. If the abbot was in a period of fasting, he would break fast in order to serve your needs.
These monks took seriously Benedictine Rule #53 that “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” Over time, visitors would be invited to join in the work and spiritual life of the community—sharing concern and joy, work and recreation. Some visitors would eventually become residents, and many “barbarians” became Christian disciples. It’s amazing how a little hospitality can move an outsider first to belonging and in time to believing.

We at CUMC must take seriously Benedictine Rule #53 and respond to the echo of Christ’s voice, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” What can we learn from St. Patrick and his Celtic followers who took hospitality to a whole new level?