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?
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