Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #33
August 21, 2023
Vacation Blogs 3 of 5
Sabbath Is For Hospitality
This is my third week of my Sabbath month and I am feeling more relaxed than I have been since last summer when I enjoyed such a vacation. One of the most wonderful things that I have experienced, and given, is hospitality. Hospitality, whether given or received is something to celebrate on Sabbath.
Each week at First Reformed Church of Wynantskill, NY I am extended tremendous hospitality with fine food, good coffee and incredible conversation. It certainly helps that my wife grew up in this church and her father pastored there for twenty years. Nevertheless, the welcomes are warm and although I only see these people one month a year it feels like I see them every day. I began to wonder if I should extend hospitality to the extent that I receive it.
Next door to my lake house is a long-time resident of the lake community. He has had many difficulties in life including debt issues and some family estrangements. He feels lonely at times, and a bit remorseful and guilty over a few things from the past. He has a good heart and has helped me a number of times in August acclimating to life near the lake. In the past few years his health has declined and he is unable to continue with the part-time job that got him out of the house each day.
Several neighbors helped him get on the local Meals on Wheels so that nutrition would not be an issue for him. Several neighbors take turns bringing him food and chatting with him. He lives mostly in his chair and rarely gets out of it.
The neighbor who most often brings him food was going to be away a few days and asked me to bring the neighbor a plate of food after each dinner. It seemed to me that he might like some company so instead of bringing food to him I invited him to our dinner table and he gratefully accepted.
It was difficult helping him get up and get out. He needed a walker to walk up to the house and he took some time to get up our steps, into the house and be seated at the table. It certainly took effort to have him come but it was worth it. He sat at the table as he enjoyed eating in community instead of alone. Rather than listening to TV noise in the background, he heard the sounds of noisy children and their antics. He seemed to enjoy it as he remembered happier times with his family.
Entertaining my neighbor has become a regular event during this vacation. The fellowship seemed to do more good for him than the nutrition and socialization is always better than isolation. It also did me a lot of good. It allowed me the chance to be hospitable in return for all the times that I have received hospitality. There were times when he wasn’t feeling able to make the walk to our house and I missed him when he wasn’t there. He is always good company.
I do hope that when my vacation ends I will not forget this lesson in hospitality. If all of us as well as our faith communities showed good hospitality how much better and stronger would we all be? May hospitality be something that we all practice each and every day.
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