Hospitality Vacuum

Sometimes there are vacuums crying out 

To be filled

Holes, gaps, deficits, vacancies

Where something is desperately needed.

It might be in a child, adult, an organization 

A culture or a war zone.

For example there is a story

In the gospel of Luke

Jesus is invited to the home of Simon

As He is reclined at the table

A woman comes in with a precious jar of oil

She proceeds to pour it out

On the feet of Jesus

Not only that, she is weeping so hard

She’s getting his feet wet with her tears

So she drys them with her long strands of hair.

Simon is not happy with this.

Jesus should know what kind of woman this is-a sinner!

He is letting her touch him. 

Jesus sees him and can figure out by the look on his face

What he is thinking.

So he tells Simon a story.

A story about debts and debt forgiveness,

One is small, the other is great.

Who will love the debt forgiver most?

Simon agrees the one forgiven most

Will love most.

Jesus goes on to point out that “when 

I entered your house you gave me

Neither water to wash my feet nor 

Oil to anoint my head.

Come to think of it you didn’t even greet me

With a kiss.”

All culture norms of the day 

When a guest comes to your home.

On the other hand this woman

Rushed in to fill the hospitality vacuum.

She loved Jesus very much.

She knew her debt was forgiven

Perhaps Simon didn’t think his arrogance, contempt

Or judgementalism, or whatever was much

When compared to this woman

Jesus perhaps thought otherwise.

What vacuums are around us or in the world

Crying out to be filled?