HE WHO RECEIVES YOU RECIEVES ME...

HOMILY FOR THE 13^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

We live in a society that is gradually losing the sense of hospitality and appreciation. There is the need to emphasise on the practical and spiritual benefits of hospitality and appreciation. The way we receive others and the way we appreciate others based on favours received count in our journey of faith. Even before considering the realm of faith, no one enjoys been rejected as visitors. Every visitor has the desire to be welcomed warmly and desirously. You can discover how important warm welcome is when you find yourself as a visitor in another man’s land, or when you experience rejection from a home where you thought you should enjoy a pride of place. Everyone desires warm welcome. Beyond our status as humans, we are bound even more as Christians to show love to visitors. The topic of our homily today which came from the Gospel (Mat. 10:37-42) exposes the words of Christ: he who receives you receives me. Christ incarnates in every visitor and so, receiving ourselves in faith equals receiving Christ. Thus, from the foregoing, the two key words we need to delineate well are HOSPITALITY AND APPRECIATION (GRATITUDE).

However, before we enter deeply into the general sense of this reception and gratitude, let us point out from the Gospel the biblical context out of which the statement was made. In the Gospel, Jesus was specifically talking to his apostles about some mission requirements and approaches. Therefore, he was saying particularly that the one who receives the apostles who are the ministers of the good news receives him Jesus. He who receives a prophet because of who he is shall receive the reward of the prophet. Jesus desires that his ministers be received well by every home and be treated as such. You cannot tell the reward the minister has come with when you receive him well. You may have lost hope about a particular situation, and thereupon based your thought on another situation, without knowing that God in his prophet comes with the restoration of the favours of the first situation. When you receive a minister of God, you do great favours to God, to Christ, to the prophet and even to yourself. Luke 10:16 repeats these words but in another way: he who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but him who rejects him rejects him who sent him. The question that begs for answer is: What have you done for the minister of God who is at your reach?

WHAT IS THEN HOSPITALITY?

This is the act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting or entertaining guests. Hospitality begins from the heart; the heart that welcomes. We must make recourse to the First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11.14-16a) to discover the generosity the woman of Shunem gave to the Prophet Elisha. The woman of Shunem was so nice to the prophet. She always insisted that the prophet take some rest and eat in her home. As if this was not enough, she pleaded on the husband that they prepare a separate room for the prophet so that he could as well pass night whenever he came. The next time Elisha came, he found a room for himself and did not hesitate to pass the night. He thought to himself what he could do to reciprocate this gesture of hospitality to the family. He then sent his servant, Gehazi through whom it was discovered that they had no son. And Elisha gave to the woman the ‘prophet’s reward’ which was the promise of a son. There are three points I have drawn from the passage on the ingredients of hospitality.

 

1. The initiative came from the Shunemite woman. The woman was zealous and eager to feed the prophet with the meal she cooked. She constantly urged Elisha to come around. Hospitality ought to emanate from a free mind. It has to be fully from one’s free will, and not under duress. Hospitality ought not be forced. Whenever you find yourself being forced by whatever circumstance or person to bid welcome to a visitor (or a minister), then such hospitality has a poor foundation and may not have any spiritual reward. We may succeed in deceiving people that we are hospitable where we are actually being ostentatious and playing to the gallery, so as to be called nice.

2. She went an extra mile to arrange for accommodation. The woman was eager to exhibit more hospitality. She was not contended with simply offering food. She wanted to go beyond that and offer a place for the prophet to rest whenever he came around. Going an extra mile is a sure sign that hospitality is sincere. She recognized the holiness in Elisha and wanted to make this holiness saddle in her family. When hospitable families build houses, they plan for visitors’ apartment, but when selfish ones build, they only plan for the number of children they have. Have a space for the visitor, and treat him/her well. Who knows how you will be a visitor in no distant time. And remember, everyone is a visitor. We all are visitors on earth, and must treat one another as co-visitors, recognizing that I should trat the other the way I want to be treated.

3. She was not in expectant of any favour from the Prophet. The woman was simply moved out of her love for the work of God, for holiness and for the love of the prophet who does God’s work. Never did the Bible record that she was expecting a favour from the prophet. The favour she desired was just for the prophet to be comfortable in her home. She did not burden the prophet with her problems. Many times, we remember the prophets when we need family deliverance or one prayer or the other. Have you ever invited your priest over to your home just to have a lunch? You must know that every act of hospitality is rewarded. When you are hospitable, God designs his blessing for you. Be calm and wait on God.

The astounding truth is that a hospitable person shares in the word of God’s messenger when he receives and helps him. Every messenger must know also know his place in the heart of God. This message is a great confidence and assurance for messengers.

WHAT OF APPRECIATION/GRATITUDE?

The word appreciation is a noun of action; the act of estimating the quality and worth of something, with a sense of high estimation, a rise in value. It denotes an expression of favourable estimation. It has acquired a lot of meaning over time. It can mean an increase in price or value. It can mean having an understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something. It can also mean an expression of gratitude. However, from the etymology, the word simply connotes to add to price; appretiatus (pretium –price). This simply means that to appreciate is to express how a favour done to someone is held high in price. When we appreciate, we ascribe worth to the thing or person. There are some lessons we learn from Elisha.

1. Elisha did not reject her hospitality. Appreciation starts from accepting favours. When we intentionally reject an offer or favour, we reduce the importance of the person offering. Some persons hate it when the favours they give are rejected by the intended recipient. Rejecting favours can be a sign of enmity. So, we must be open to accept people and their sincere favours.

2. Elisha did not abuse his stay. When favours are shown to us, we must work hard not to abuse them by the way we lead our lives. We may scandalize the donor and at the end, the intended result is not achieved. Elisha maintained his holiness and never did he scandalize the family. Ministers today must work hard not to scandalize favours shown to them. When we receive favours, we must work hard to maintain our place for the sake of God for whom the favours were shown to us. This is a good way of showing appreciation to God and man.

3. Elisha was insistent upon appreciating the woman. The prophet showed gratitude for the hospitality of this woman. He insisted that the favour be rewarded. As ministers and as those who receive favours, never disregard gratitude when you have received one. Never forget to bless the one that favours or that have offered something to you for aid in your ministry. As a successful man today, take time and reflect the persons that have helped you in life, and if possible, go back to them and show some appreciation. Appreciation is rewarding and uplifting.

 

In conclusion, try and say thank you to that person from whom you have received a particular favour. Some persons tend to misunderstand gratitude and appreciation. Now, read on!!!

1. Saying thank you does not mean you cannot afford it. When I say thank you for what you have done for me, it does not mean I cannot provide that for myself. It only means that the Lord has given me what I can afford through another person, and I must thank the Lord and the person who was instrumental to this.

2. Saying thank you does not mean the other is greater than you. When I say thank you for what you have done for me, it does not place me beneath you, neither does it reduce my dignity. It only means that I have considered the greatness of God who has given me a gift through the other person who also has manifested his greatness before God by allowing himself to be used as a channel of upliftment.

3. Saying thank you does not make you a dependent. When I say thank you, it does not make me dependent on the human being who has shown that favour. It only means that I have acknowledged my dependence on God.

4. Saying thank you does not make you a weakling. When I say thank you, it does not make me a weakling; someone that cannot work and feed from the work of his hands. It only means that I have understood so well that no one is an island. We all need each other for mutual growth and development.

5. Saying thank you does not reduce the respect the other has for you. When I say thank you, it does not reduce my self-worth or esteem. It rather improves on it; confirming that I respect the other because I think the other respects me. Hence, I promote mutual respect among human beings.

Today, I say a very BIG THANK YOU for all of you who have been nice to me as a prophet of God. For all those who have assisted me and continue to assist me to answer God’s call and proclaim his message, may you all receive the blessing Elisha gave to the woman of Shunem. God will meet you at your points of need. Amen. I wish you a splendid week ahead. God bless you.