Welcome
Matthew 18:1-5
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name, welcomes me. v. 5
“You know you want coffee!” They had worshipped with us that Sunday morning. We happened to sit in front of them and shared the peace. Afterward our pastor greeted them and welcomed them. He even invited them to share coffee in the Sunday morning fellowship. They hesitated and were about to walk out the church door. “You know you want coffee!” I said. “I guess we could,” they replied. Around the table we drank our coffee, ate our sweets, and had a delightful conversation. We hoped they felt welcome.
Of course, these were people very much like us: Caucasian, middle aged, middle class, grown children, Midwesterners. They were easy to welcome. I wonder how different it would have been if they had been Syrian refugees, or Guatemalan immigrants, or migrant workers. Language barriers and cultural barriers would be high hurdles to overcome. The obviously gay couple, the transgendered person, even the person of color might be given a lukewarm welcome to our faith community.
It’s often difficult for the beloved community, the community commanded to “love one another,” to be a community of welcome. We treat the stranger, especially the ones that seem strange, with suspicion. Given that fact, we shouldn’t be surprised that the wider community in which we live has an even more difficult task welcoming and including the stranger into their world.
Should the presence of a stranger be a sign to us that God is present? The welcome we offer is not only to the stranger, but also to the God who often comes to us incognito.
PRAY: God of all peoples, we pray for all those who guard the borders and those who make decisions about refugees, and asylum seekers. Bless members of the border patrol, asylum lawyers and judges. May they be given wisdom in their decisions, mercy in their judgements, and direction in their work. Amen.
FAST: By looking for the presence of God in the face of a stranger.
ACT: Set aside a blanket or quilt for LWR
OR set aside $1 for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
...the least of these... 