Friday, July 23, 2010
Previous Blogs
If you'd like to read blog entries from previous years visit: www.mytb.org/Amy-in-Egypt.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Home 2010:17
I arrived home shortly after 11 this morning. Hans had to return to work, so I’ve been trying to keep myself busy to stay awake today. Part of keeping busy meant running some errands like picking up drying cleaning I’d dropped off a month ago.
When I walked into the dry cleaner, the woman who always helps called out my name. “Hi Amy, how are you?” We did our business. It was nice to be remembered after a month away. It’s one of the ways that I know that I’m home.
Here’s the thing, yesterday before I left Cairo I went to the local dry cleaner where I occasionally take clothing that needs a real cleaning (and not just hand washing). I paid for my laundry and then said goodbye. “I’ll see you next summer, in sh’Allah.”
Next June, in sh’Allah, I’ll walk into the dry cleaner to drop off a few things. I’ll receive a warm smile from the beautiful woman who works behind the counter and without missing a beat she’ll take out a slip and write, “Ms. Emy” without asking my name. I know this will happen because for the last three years when I return after my 11 month absence, this is what happens. It’s one of the ways that I know I’m home when I arrive in Cairo as well.
This is one of the small ways, day in and day out, that I experience the fullness of God’s blessing in my life. I hope you know these blessings too.
When I walked into the dry cleaner, the woman who always helps called out my name. “Hi Amy, how are you?” We did our business. It was nice to be remembered after a month away. It’s one of the ways that I know that I’m home.
Here’s the thing, yesterday before I left Cairo I went to the local dry cleaner where I occasionally take clothing that needs a real cleaning (and not just hand washing). I paid for my laundry and then said goodbye. “I’ll see you next summer, in sh’Allah.”
Next June, in sh’Allah, I’ll walk into the dry cleaner to drop off a few things. I’ll receive a warm smile from the beautiful woman who works behind the counter and without missing a beat she’ll take out a slip and write, “Ms. Emy” without asking my name. I know this will happen because for the last three years when I return after my 11 month absence, this is what happens. It’s one of the ways that I know I’m home when I arrive in Cairo as well.
This is one of the small ways, day in and day out, that I experience the fullness of God’s blessing in my life. I hope you know these blessings too.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Welcome to Luxor! 2010:16
Friday evening Jen and I flew to Luxor for a short visit before our return home (Hans flew home on Saturday). It was a hectic evening as it was also the evening of the final party of the summer course. As usual we sat down for dinner at 8 and when the turkey (yes turkey!) was finished the festivities began. The plan was for me to say goodbye and for the teachers to make a presentation to Abuna Esshak before our departure but it all became a bit rushed. So I made a very hasty goodbye to my students and then we were off to the airport. I think our driver from the seminary could sense the tension in the car and so to lighten the mood he changed the radio station. For 10 minutes we drove along the freeways of Egypt with an disco-mix of Christmas music (including Felize Navidad) blaring on the car radio and our driver yelling and making gestures out his window at the trucks and cars that raced past us. All you could do was laugh.
We made it though the airport easily and our plane left as scheduled at 11:50 pm. We were scheduled to arrived in Luxor at 12:50 am and we had arranged through a friend for a driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel. We were to look for a man with a sign. We got our bags and proceeded outside. No man. No sign. We waited. I called. He was on his way. (There had been some confusion about our arrival - mish mushkilla - no problem!)
The Luxor airport isn’t very busy so most everyone cleared out in 20 minutes our so. Jen and I waited – the only women anywhere. We tried to figure out where to sit. A well-lit area next to the driveway looked like a good spot and so we proceeded. To say that we were conspicuous and attracted the attention of everyone in the vicinity is perhaps an understatement. Now to be clear, we were not in danger, no one would have dared approach us. But we were the focus of much attention and conversation. At one point, Jen asked, “How will our driver know how to find us or where to look for us?” My response, “Trust me Jen, everyone at the Luxor airport knows how to find us!”
He came and we made our way to the hotel arriving around 2:30 am. It was a short night as we had made arrangements to leave for the West Bank of Luxor at 7:30, but the adventure had begun!
More stories and pictures to come.
P.S. We're back in Cairo. We'll make a quick return trip to the Egyptian Museum today before heading home tonight.
We made it though the airport easily and our plane left as scheduled at 11:50 pm. We were scheduled to arrived in Luxor at 12:50 am and we had arranged through a friend for a driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel. We were to look for a man with a sign. We got our bags and proceeded outside. No man. No sign. We waited. I called. He was on his way. (There had been some confusion about our arrival - mish mushkilla - no problem!)
The Luxor airport isn’t very busy so most everyone cleared out in 20 minutes our so. Jen and I waited – the only women anywhere. We tried to figure out where to sit. A well-lit area next to the driveway looked like a good spot and so we proceeded. To say that we were conspicuous and attracted the attention of everyone in the vicinity is perhaps an understatement. Now to be clear, we were not in danger, no one would have dared approach us. But we were the focus of much attention and conversation. At one point, Jen asked, “How will our driver know how to find us or where to look for us?” My response, “Trust me Jen, everyone at the Luxor airport knows how to find us!”
He came and we made our way to the hotel arriving around 2:30 am. It was a short night as we had made arrangements to leave for the West Bank of Luxor at 7:30, but the adventure had begun!
More stories and pictures to come.
P.S. We're back in Cairo. We'll make a quick return trip to the Egyptian Museum today before heading home tonight.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Made Visible 2010:15
I sat in a circle Wednesday night at the side of a Coptic Catholic bishop in a circle of Roman Catholics from Italy and Coptic Catholics from Egypt and witnessed the movement of the Holy Spirit. The Italians sang, “O Sole Mio” and “Regina Coeli.” The Copts sang their own spiritual hymns. I sat there amazed to be sitting in this circle, amazed to see the body of Christ in such fullness.
At one point I was asked to speak. I’m old hat to the Egyptians by now (I love that they are showing the way for the Italians in this regard), but to the Italians I am an oddity. I spoke briefly. I was introduced at 9:26 and the World Cup Semi finals began at 9:30 (I’m not stupid. I learned long ago that you don’t separate men from their sports!) so I said very simply: “I will not be the one to keep you from football. I’m honored and humbled to be a part of this gathering. I’m a Lutheran pastor from America. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. I’m at a loss for words, but it’s clear to me that the Holy Spirit is present in this circle tonight and I believe that the body of Christ is being seen in it’s fullness.”
When all the words had been spoken and the cake had been rolled out and cut, I was approached by a handful of Italians who had dozens of questions. When do we worship? Where do I serve? What is the religious situation in America? Forgive me, but who pays your salary? What do you wear? How often do you celebrate the mass?
The conversation continued and I said again and again, “I think you would find that in many, many ways Lutherans and Catholics have very similar understandings.”
“But you are a women. And we don’t ordain women.”
“Yes. This is one difference. But in many, many ways we are very similar.
“And you are married?”
“Okay, this is another difference. But in many, many ways we are very similar.”
So I guess we DO still have significant differences to overcome, but still by the end of the evening we had exchanged names and contact information and agreed to be facebook friends! Hans and I have an invitation to Southern Italy to visit my new companions.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it came like a rush of wind. More often in the book of Acts (as well as my own life) the Spirit comes in whispers and nudges. Tonight I witnessed the Spirit not in a rush or a whisper, but in songs, in questions, in conversation, in curiosity. This too is the Spirit work here in Egypt, and everywhere.
At one point I was asked to speak. I’m old hat to the Egyptians by now (I love that they are showing the way for the Italians in this regard), but to the Italians I am an oddity. I spoke briefly. I was introduced at 9:26 and the World Cup Semi finals began at 9:30 (I’m not stupid. I learned long ago that you don’t separate men from their sports!) so I said very simply: “I will not be the one to keep you from football. I’m honored and humbled to be a part of this gathering. I’m a Lutheran pastor from America. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. I’m at a loss for words, but it’s clear to me that the Holy Spirit is present in this circle tonight and I believe that the body of Christ is being seen in it’s fullness.”
When all the words had been spoken and the cake had been rolled out and cut, I was approached by a handful of Italians who had dozens of questions. When do we worship? Where do I serve? What is the religious situation in America? Forgive me, but who pays your salary? What do you wear? How often do you celebrate the mass?
The conversation continued and I said again and again, “I think you would find that in many, many ways Lutherans and Catholics have very similar understandings.”
“But you are a women. And we don’t ordain women.”
“Yes. This is one difference. But in many, many ways we are very similar.
“And you are married?”
“Okay, this is another difference. But in many, many ways we are very similar.”
So I guess we DO still have significant differences to overcome, but still by the end of the evening we had exchanged names and contact information and agreed to be facebook friends! Hans and I have an invitation to Southern Italy to visit my new companions.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it came like a rush of wind. More often in the book of Acts (as well as my own life) the Spirit comes in whispers and nudges. Tonight I witnessed the Spirit not in a rush or a whisper, but in songs, in questions, in conversation, in curiosity. This too is the Spirit work here in Egypt, and everywhere.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Girl Power 2010:14
I’ve always known there’s a reason why God made us with different gifts and abilities, but I’ve seen again why it matters.
Many of you know that Hans, my husband, and Jen, my sister, arrived last week. They’re presence has been great. It’s really fun to share Egypt with someone for the first time and to see it again through her eyes. Some of you know my sister, and if you don’t let me just say that we’re about as different as two people can be – at least by external measures.
I’m a girly girl – Jen is not. Some of you might remember a comment I posted on facebook a few months back about how there’s nothing like a new pair of black pumps to make you feel like a girl. My sister Jen would NEVER say those words, let alone think them. You get the drift.
So I’ve been trying to explain to my students that my sister is different from me. So the line I’ve come up with is, “She’s an athlete.” (Even Level 1 knows all of these words!) So last night they asked her, “Will you play volleyball with us?”
She doesn’t really like volleyball but who can turn up an invitation like that. So she said yes. I went down to watch (in my ever-present skirt!)
May I just say that Jen ROCKED! She served out the first game with something like 10 straight points. It was beautiful watching the opposing team increasingly frustrated and unable to return a single serve. Her team just got more and more proud every point. By the end of her fifth straight point everyone could say “Jen” as opposed to the more common pronunciation “Jeanne” (ala francaise).
What was even more beautiful were the four level one students who came and sat with Jen and I at breakfast this morning and began to ask her more questions about her athletic prowess. When I told them that in America she was a coach – a leader of a team – they’re eyes got big and they were impressed. Atef asked if he could be her assistant.
Walls are chipped away in all sorts of ways - sometimes in words spoken at a worship service, sometimes in games played on a court. In this way my sister and I share MUCH in common.
Many of you know that Hans, my husband, and Jen, my sister, arrived last week. They’re presence has been great. It’s really fun to share Egypt with someone for the first time and to see it again through her eyes. Some of you know my sister, and if you don’t let me just say that we’re about as different as two people can be – at least by external measures.
I’m a girly girl – Jen is not. Some of you might remember a comment I posted on facebook a few months back about how there’s nothing like a new pair of black pumps to make you feel like a girl. My sister Jen would NEVER say those words, let alone think them. You get the drift.
So I’ve been trying to explain to my students that my sister is different from me. So the line I’ve come up with is, “She’s an athlete.” (Even Level 1 knows all of these words!) So last night they asked her, “Will you play volleyball with us?”
She doesn’t really like volleyball but who can turn up an invitation like that. So she said yes. I went down to watch (in my ever-present skirt!)
May I just say that Jen ROCKED! She served out the first game with something like 10 straight points. It was beautiful watching the opposing team increasingly frustrated and unable to return a single serve. Her team just got more and more proud every point. By the end of her fifth straight point everyone could say “Jen” as opposed to the more common pronunciation “Jeanne” (ala francaise).
What was even more beautiful were the four level one students who came and sat with Jen and I at breakfast this morning and began to ask her more questions about her athletic prowess. When I told them that in America she was a coach – a leader of a team – they’re eyes got big and they were impressed. Atef asked if he could be her assistant.
Walls are chipped away in all sorts of ways - sometimes in words spoken at a worship service, sometimes in games played on a court. In this way my sister and I share MUCH in common.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Pharaoh's Revenge 2010:13
“Pharaoh’s revenge” is the name that foreigners give to gastro-intestinal troubles that hit travelers to Egypt from time to time. It hit me with full force yesterday, so instead of spending a free day with Hans and Jen as I had planned, I was motionless in my bed counting the minutes until the wonder drug “Antinol” would kick in. It’s the only time in my years in Egypt that I’ve ever been cold, which tells me that I was quite sick.
Today I’m still feeling a bit weak, but I managed to teach my morning classes and I’m enjoying the AC at Greco this afternoon while Hans and Jen read.
Hoping for an outing tomorrow. Can’t believe this is my last week of teaching. This summer course has gone so fast.
Today I’m still feeling a bit weak, but I managed to teach my morning classes and I’m enjoying the AC at Greco this afternoon while Hans and Jen read.
Hoping for an outing tomorrow. Can’t believe this is my last week of teaching. This summer course has gone so fast.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Suprised! 2010:12
This morning as I prepared to leave for worship at St. Andrews I experienced a wonderful surprise that is in it's own way an example of the kind of hospitality that I spoke about in my sermon (previous blog post).
Last night a group of seminarians and priests from southern Italy arrived at the seminary for 10 days of study of the Coptic Church. We won't have a lot of contact with them, but they are housed with us so of course we run into them in the seminary.
This morning I was dressed and ready to go to church. I had on a black shirt and a clerical collar. My Egyptian students have grown use to this sight - "my uniform" - they call it and don't bat an eye.
This morning as I left the dining room I realized that I would encounter the seminarians from Italy and I laughed to myself at the thought of how they would respond to "my uniform." Sure enough as they passed me in the hall the students eyes grew big as they saw me. There eyes were drawn to my collar and you could see the questions on their face, but no one said a word.
I'll admit to a certain smugness on my part. Glad to be standing there and challenging their notions of church, calling and ordination. I was laughing inside at their bewildered expressions.
My musings were interrupted by a gentleman who approached me with his hand extended and warmly greeted me. "Where are you from? What's your name?"
I'm Amy. I'm from America.
Anglican? Presbyterian? What?
I'm a Lutheran pastor in America. I'm on my way to preach and lead worship in Cairo.
I'm Luigi. I'm so happy to meet you. I'm here with the seminarians from southern Italy. Will you come and speak to us? We have a student who has excellent English who could translate for you. This would be such a good experience for our students.
And so tentative arrangements were made.
I was not seeking hospitality in the moment. My hands were not empty, my focus was on my own agenda not preparing the way for Christ. And yet, hospitality was extended. I know I shouldn't be, but it was a wonderful, unexpected surprise!
Last night a group of seminarians and priests from southern Italy arrived at the seminary for 10 days of study of the Coptic Church. We won't have a lot of contact with them, but they are housed with us so of course we run into them in the seminary.
This morning I was dressed and ready to go to church. I had on a black shirt and a clerical collar. My Egyptian students have grown use to this sight - "my uniform" - they call it and don't bat an eye.
This morning as I left the dining room I realized that I would encounter the seminarians from Italy and I laughed to myself at the thought of how they would respond to "my uniform." Sure enough as they passed me in the hall the students eyes grew big as they saw me. There eyes were drawn to my collar and you could see the questions on their face, but no one said a word.
I'll admit to a certain smugness on my part. Glad to be standing there and challenging their notions of church, calling and ordination. I was laughing inside at their bewildered expressions.
My musings were interrupted by a gentleman who approached me with his hand extended and warmly greeted me. "Where are you from? What's your name?"
I'm Amy. I'm from America.
Anglican? Presbyterian? What?
I'm a Lutheran pastor in America. I'm on my way to preach and lead worship in Cairo.
I'm Luigi. I'm so happy to meet you. I'm here with the seminarians from southern Italy. Will you come and speak to us? We have a student who has excellent English who could translate for you. This would be such a good experience for our students.
And so tentative arrangements were made.
I was not seeking hospitality in the moment. My hands were not empty, my focus was on my own agenda not preparing the way for Christ. And yet, hospitality was extended. I know I shouldn't be, but it was a wonderful, unexpected surprise!
Welcome Here! 2010:11
I preached for the final time this summer at St. Andrew's United Church in Cairo this morning with Hans and my sister, Jen, in attendance! This has been a wonderful opportunity that I've been so grateful for this summer. I share with you my final sermon. My reading of this text - Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 - has been profoundly shaped by the hospitality that I have experienced in Egypt.
I’ve discovered that my students at the seminary love the movie The Sound of Music. So sometimes at dinner we’ll play the music from the movie. They all seem to love the song Do, Re, Mi. In the movie, the young woman who is serving as a nanny to 7 children wants to teach them to sing. And so this song becomes her way of teaching.
Let’s start at the very beginning,
a very good place to start.
When you read you begin with A, B, C
When you sing you begin with Do, Re, Mi.
And so on, until at the end the children can sing in perfect harmony.
In today’s gospel Jesus is starting at the beginning as well. Last week we heard that he turned his face to Jerusalem and today he appoints 70 to go before him to prepare his way, to announce the coming of the kingdom to God and to begin bringing this kingdom to people here and now. This is the beginning of the end for Jesus and it seems right that for this important work Jesus will provide his missionaries with some necessary training and preparation. In Luke’s gospel the kingdom of God is to be known through good news preached to the poor, release of the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom for the oppressed. If Jesus is going to release his missionaries to prepare his way and begin this kingdom work, I expect that the instruction he gives will relate to healing, exorcisms, unbinding, preaching. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a how-to manual for the beginning of this missionary journey.
I’m reminded of the summer after my first year in seminary when I was required to work as a hospital chaplain. The first day of the summer my supervisor threw me alone onto the floor of the hospital and said, “okay, be a chaplain.” I didn’t have a clue what to do. What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to do? Where was I supposed to go? There was no map, no instruction manual, nothing.
If Jesus really wanted to be useful he would have given his missionaries and us a nice how-to manual on how to do the mission that he sends us on.
Step 1 – Pray
Step 2 – Find hungry people, feed them.
Step 3 – Find sick and hurting people, listen to them, pray for them, if possible heal them
Step 4 – Listen for strange spirits, if found, cast out (use pigs if necessary)
And so on and so on . . .
As always, however, Jesus defies our expectations. We want a how-to manual for mission complete with step-by-step instructions. Instead Jesus opts for guidance in hospitality – seeking it, extending it, and receiving it.
"Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals and greet no one on the road" – Jesus invites us to embrace our lives and our ministry with empty hands and with a singular focus. It seems a foolish proposition until we realize that living our lives with empty hands puts us in a position to be on the lookout for the hospitality of others. If we have no water or no bottle to fill, no sandwich and no money to buy one, we are forced to live at the mercy of those who are compassionate enough see our need and to share what they have. Empty hands put us in the position of seeking the hospitality of others.
Again Jesus speaks: "Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house! And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you.” In addition to seeking hospitality from those we meet along the journey, Jesus invites us to extend hospitality in the form of sharing our peace with those we visit. Peace that is shared provides a fruitful ground for relationship and sharing. And rejected peace is simply an opportunity to move on to a more receptive place.
Finally: “Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide . . . Do not move about from house to house . . . Eat what is set before you . . .” We seek hospitality. We extend hospitality in the form of our peace and finally we are invited to receive hospitality . . . in whatever form it comes. This is the one that’s hard for me. I’m a picky eater. I need a decent pillow to get a good night’s rest. And yet Jesus’ words are abundantly clear – receive the hospitality that is extended to you whether it comes in the form of Egyptian ful or fine wine.
In all of this Luke tells us Jesus is present – whoever listens to you, listens to me, and whoever rejects you, rejects me and the one who sent me.
When I think mission I think proclaiming, telling, sharing. I think of an awful lot of talking and if I’m really on my game I'll think about some careful listening. But it’s clear from today’s gospel that the heart of mission for those who prepare the way for Jesus is quite simply hospitality – seeking it, extending it, receiving it.
It’s completely shocking . . . and it makes complete sense. In seeking, extending and receiving hospitality we open our lives to our neighbors in new ways that have the power to change not just ourselves, but the whole world. When we practice the kind of missional hospitality that Jesus describes in today’s gospel, the evil kingdoms that would destroy this world begin to be toppled. And the foundation of God’s kingdom on earth – a kingdom marked by justice, by mutual sharing, by healing and wholeness – is built one cup of tea at a time.
I experience hospitality the ways Jesus describes it again and again in my travels throughout Egypt. Never moreso than two years ago when Hans and I spent a week with the family of one of my students in Upper Egypt. Over the course of that week, we were loved and cared for in ways that I've only ever experienced with family and the closest of friends. At the end of the week, my new friend Hala said to me, "We will never forget you and your visit here. You have changed our lives by visiting us."
Read through the pages of Luke’s gospel and you will see Jesus seated at tables again and again and again. And around those tables Jesus offers forgiveness and mercy to the most unsuspecting folks. It makes perfect sense that Jesus would send his followers into the world to practice the kind of hospitality that he himself seeks, extends and receives.
This is the kind of hospitality we will experience today as we gather around this table. Here we meet Jesus and receive the forgiveness and mercy in bread and wine that he offers to us.
And this is the kind of hospitality that we will experience as we gather around the tables after worship. In our conversations and our sharing the Spirit is at work preparing the way for Christ. Over coffee and tea, the Spirit is building, reinforcing and strengthening the foundations of God’s kingdom on earth here and now.
Thanks be to God!
I’ve discovered that my students at the seminary love the movie The Sound of Music. So sometimes at dinner we’ll play the music from the movie. They all seem to love the song Do, Re, Mi. In the movie, the young woman who is serving as a nanny to 7 children wants to teach them to sing. And so this song becomes her way of teaching.
Let’s start at the very beginning,
a very good place to start.
When you read you begin with A, B, C
When you sing you begin with Do, Re, Mi.
And so on, until at the end the children can sing in perfect harmony.
In today’s gospel Jesus is starting at the beginning as well. Last week we heard that he turned his face to Jerusalem and today he appoints 70 to go before him to prepare his way, to announce the coming of the kingdom to God and to begin bringing this kingdom to people here and now. This is the beginning of the end for Jesus and it seems right that for this important work Jesus will provide his missionaries with some necessary training and preparation. In Luke’s gospel the kingdom of God is to be known through good news preached to the poor, release of the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom for the oppressed. If Jesus is going to release his missionaries to prepare his way and begin this kingdom work, I expect that the instruction he gives will relate to healing, exorcisms, unbinding, preaching. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a how-to manual for the beginning of this missionary journey.
I’m reminded of the summer after my first year in seminary when I was required to work as a hospital chaplain. The first day of the summer my supervisor threw me alone onto the floor of the hospital and said, “okay, be a chaplain.” I didn’t have a clue what to do. What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to do? Where was I supposed to go? There was no map, no instruction manual, nothing.
If Jesus really wanted to be useful he would have given his missionaries and us a nice how-to manual on how to do the mission that he sends us on.
Step 1 – Pray
Step 2 – Find hungry people, feed them.
Step 3 – Find sick and hurting people, listen to them, pray for them, if possible heal them
Step 4 – Listen for strange spirits, if found, cast out (use pigs if necessary)
And so on and so on . . .
As always, however, Jesus defies our expectations. We want a how-to manual for mission complete with step-by-step instructions. Instead Jesus opts for guidance in hospitality – seeking it, extending it, and receiving it.
"Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals and greet no one on the road" – Jesus invites us to embrace our lives and our ministry with empty hands and with a singular focus. It seems a foolish proposition until we realize that living our lives with empty hands puts us in a position to be on the lookout for the hospitality of others. If we have no water or no bottle to fill, no sandwich and no money to buy one, we are forced to live at the mercy of those who are compassionate enough see our need and to share what they have. Empty hands put us in the position of seeking the hospitality of others.
Again Jesus speaks: "Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house! And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you.” In addition to seeking hospitality from those we meet along the journey, Jesus invites us to extend hospitality in the form of sharing our peace with those we visit. Peace that is shared provides a fruitful ground for relationship and sharing. And rejected peace is simply an opportunity to move on to a more receptive place.
Finally: “Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide . . . Do not move about from house to house . . . Eat what is set before you . . .” We seek hospitality. We extend hospitality in the form of our peace and finally we are invited to receive hospitality . . . in whatever form it comes. This is the one that’s hard for me. I’m a picky eater. I need a decent pillow to get a good night’s rest. And yet Jesus’ words are abundantly clear – receive the hospitality that is extended to you whether it comes in the form of Egyptian ful or fine wine.
In all of this Luke tells us Jesus is present – whoever listens to you, listens to me, and whoever rejects you, rejects me and the one who sent me.
When I think mission I think proclaiming, telling, sharing. I think of an awful lot of talking and if I’m really on my game I'll think about some careful listening. But it’s clear from today’s gospel that the heart of mission for those who prepare the way for Jesus is quite simply hospitality – seeking it, extending it, receiving it.
It’s completely shocking . . . and it makes complete sense. In seeking, extending and receiving hospitality we open our lives to our neighbors in new ways that have the power to change not just ourselves, but the whole world. When we practice the kind of missional hospitality that Jesus describes in today’s gospel, the evil kingdoms that would destroy this world begin to be toppled. And the foundation of God’s kingdom on earth – a kingdom marked by justice, by mutual sharing, by healing and wholeness – is built one cup of tea at a time.
I experience hospitality the ways Jesus describes it again and again in my travels throughout Egypt. Never moreso than two years ago when Hans and I spent a week with the family of one of my students in Upper Egypt. Over the course of that week, we were loved and cared for in ways that I've only ever experienced with family and the closest of friends. At the end of the week, my new friend Hala said to me, "We will never forget you and your visit here. You have changed our lives by visiting us."
Read through the pages of Luke’s gospel and you will see Jesus seated at tables again and again and again. And around those tables Jesus offers forgiveness and mercy to the most unsuspecting folks. It makes perfect sense that Jesus would send his followers into the world to practice the kind of hospitality that he himself seeks, extends and receives.
This is the kind of hospitality we will experience today as we gather around this table. Here we meet Jesus and receive the forgiveness and mercy in bread and wine that he offers to us.
And this is the kind of hospitality that we will experience as we gather around the tables after worship. In our conversations and our sharing the Spirit is at work preparing the way for Christ. Over coffee and tea, the Spirit is building, reinforcing and strengthening the foundations of God’s kingdom on earth here and now.
Thanks be to God!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)