Unfortunately, the majority of churches don't live the signage, far from it. My experience has been the welcoming spirit of many congregations are as wooden and frozen as the sign upon which the words are printed. Admitedlly, we don't welcome well in our communities and are seemingly unaware of the global community which we can no longer ignore nor pretend does not impact us.
Foundational to the entire Hebrew and Christian scriptural narrative is the call to be hospitable to all, we notice, we invite, we are genuine with the invitation and then, most importantly, we welcome in, receive, provide care and involve in the life of the community.
Our world confronts many crises; to name a few: ever increasing poverty (in the USA with our incredible wealth, tonight 1 in 6 children live in signifcant poverty and hunger), a shocking lack of adequate, acessible and affordable housing, and a raging refugee movement on multiple borders around the world.
The Hebrews were refugees, the Law commands "welcome the stranger, for you were once strangers in the land," the entire Advent narrative culminates in a young couple seeking shelter and being denied, closed off, shut out.
Pope Francis called the response of the "faithful" to the refugee crisis "a culture of indifference." I call it we just don't care. In both instances....shame...shame...shame on us, the faithful.
Recently, I find myself more and more convicted. You?
