· 13th Sunday (A), June 26, 2005
· Theme: Hospitality – breaking down barriers

· Introduction:
· Family (kinship) was the central social institution in the ancient Mediterranean world.
· Jesus’ requirement that his followers should love him more than they love mother, father, son, or daughter shocks his first-century listeners (v. 37) even more than it shocks us today.
· The ancient Middle Eastern family was very large and quite extended.
· It consisted of a father and all his children, including his married sons with their entire families, living in one place.
· The resultant mentality is “our family” against “everyone else.”
· To marry anyone other than a family member was unthinkable.
· To sever all family ties, as did the “prodigal son” (Luke 15:11-32), is not only stupid but is equivalent to suicide.
· Outside the family, no one can be trusted; no one will help you, as that renegade son quickly learned when his funds ran out.
· Jesus’ challenge to love him more than family – shocked his listeners to the core.
· This is what Jesus had in mind when he spoke of “taking up one’s cross” and “losing one’s life for my sake.”
· Jesus asks for a “Decision” from those who would follow him
· Not only by what we say but even more importantly by how we act.

· “How we act,” brings us to the main theme of today’s readings – that of hospitality.
· In today’s first reading from 2 Kings, the Shunammite woman offers hospitality to the Prophet Elisha, even though he is not a member of her extended family.
· For her unsolicited kindness – she receives her reward – her heart’s desire.
· In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Whoever receives you, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
· Hospitality takes on deep significance in the light of these two passages.

· In general, hospitality among Americans is reserved for family and other special people.
· A recent study of parishes in the United States discovered that generally speaking they were not very hospitable to newcomers and visitors.
· Yet when hospitality is exhibited it speaks of the presence of God.

· One of my proudest moments came a couple of years ago when we had the Jesuit ordinations here.
· The church was filled with Jesuits and with the family and friends of those to be ordained.
· People came from all over the country and from all different ethnic backgrounds.
· The event was put on by the Jesuits of the California Province
· The pageantry was beautiful
· The music that was coordinated by our own Rodger Guerrero was outstanding
· The homily of the bishop was superb
· The reception after the Mass was a great celebration
· However, a few weeks later when the visitors were asked what most stood out for them at the ordination, most responded that they were most deeply impressed by the parishioners standing in the parking lot to greet them as they arrived, and by the fact that everyone was so hospitable.

· The hospitality both of the Shunammite woman and that of which Jesus speaks is even more than just a friendly greeting:
· This hospitality challenges us to accept people for who they are,
· Even if they are of different races, different religions, different political parties, different sexual orientations, etc.
· This hospitality challenges us to see Jesus in the stranger that we meet at our work place and in our neighborhoods – even if he or she is homeless or disheveled.

· Paraphrase of a reflection on “holiness” by Fr. Larry Gillick, S. J., of Creighton University
· From today’s readings, we are challenged to accept the “holy” person each of us is.
· We think, “Holy” is too “up-there” beyond us, and maybe a little boring.
· However, holiness is simply “Living the Eucharistic mission;” that is, distributing the holiness we receive in the Eucharist
· We pray to believe in Christ really present in us and through us.
· We are invited to welcome him and his holiness into our lives, picking up his cross and celebrating his Resurrection in the manner in which we live.
· We welcome Christ when we welcome each person – even the difficult ones – that come into our lives.

· As we continue with this liturgy,
· Let us pray for the spirit of the Shunammite woman
· Let us pray for the gift of hospitality – to receive Jesus however and in whomever he is made present to us.

· Amen

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