Hospitality: Christians are called to serve
A key quality that pleases God is our generosity towards those around us, especially our guests and those we serve. At the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus was willing to accelerate his passion, or in other words, His suffering, to prevent the wedding host from facing embarrassment. Jesus’ generosity is consistently demonstrated throughout the Bible; He wants us to bring as many people as possible to His banquet and everlasting feast in heaven. As Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” All Catholics should embody this virtue of hospitality, understanding the significance of the Incarnation—how Jesus took on flesh through the Virgin Mary, became man, and dwelt among us. Jesus, the ultimate host, makes Himself vulnerable to us during Mass so that we may receive His grace. This should be reflected in how we interact with others in our daily lives. For example, when we have visitors in our homes, we should treat them as honored guests. It’s important to maintain traditional values, such as always offering food without being asked, entertaining them, and ensuring they feel welcomed and pleased. As parents, these values should also be passed on to our children so they can continue these traditions. Before welcoming anyone else into our homes, we should first make sure our children feel welcomed and loved. Bringing them to the dinner table every day, serving them, and spending time together as a family should take precedence over modern culture's emphasis on efficiency. We must not forget the importance of our hospitality and the way we present ourselves to those we host. The theological in all this is we meet Christ in the poor, we receive Christ in the guest and we look upon the face of Christ in each of our brothers and sisters.