July 30, 2025

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

On a recent Sunday, the Gospel reading at Mass was the story of Martha and Mary welcoming Jesus to their home for a meal. One of the spiritual messages of this story for us is a remembrance of the profoundly important Christian virtue of hospitality. Today, I want to share with you the call of our Lord to us, his followers, to be a people of hospitality. However, I must admit I still remember the days of the pandemic – the COVID days. Do you remember how we had to separate from each other – even at Mass – in every other pew? There was not much visiting or gatherings in those days, not much hospitality.

So, I thank God, we have gotten through those days. Here at church, we can again be a community, a Catholic parish praying and working together, praying for each other. So, it is time for us Christians to again realize the importance of the virtue of hospitality and of welcoming each other, caring for each other. As Martha and Mary welcomed Jesus, we are called to be people of hospitality.

Hospitality involves family and friends lovingly being together,noticing each other, caring for each other. Jesus challenges us to live well – characterized by being open and welcoming others in hospitality, welcoming family and friends and even others. Pope Francis spoke often of hospitality as an important opportunity in which we, Catholics, as Church, should also be open to accept even refugees, migrants and the marginalized. Pope Francis connected hospitality not just with charity but also with justice, solidarity and human dignity.

So, we are called as disciples of Jesus to be hospitable people. The sign we should put over our Churches is “All are welcome.” Each parish should find ways to bring care and friendship to the homebound of our parish, the lonely people who need friendship. In this way, we can be a community alive with hospitality. Pope Francis also adds, “Hospitality is one of the works of mercy. It is a virtue that opens the doors of our heart and our home.” Hospitality is expressed in so many ways both at home and in our parish. Martha and Mary not only prepared a meal for Jesus, but they also made his presence important. They listened to him. The dedicated Catholics of a parish should always be ready to take time to reach out to others, especially to the lonely among us. We, you and I, live in such a busy world. A hospitable person is willing to take the time to be with our family, with our loved ones – to be with the others.

Sacred Scripture speaks of hospitality. St. Paul writes in the Letter to the Hebrew, “Do not neglect hospitality for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” In Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus presents his Parable of the Judgment of the Nations. The sheep are divided from the goats, an image of the separation of the righteous who are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. And why, them? In his parable, Jesus tells us that the King announces to the chosen, I was hungry, and you fed me – I was thirsty, I was naked, I was sick, I was imprisoned – all such. But also, “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” The King adds, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. Jesus identifies himself with that stranger that we welcome. Hospitality is not just kindness. It is reverence toward Christ in the other. We should notice each other.

Our hospitality is sacramental in nature; it makes the invisible love of God visible; our hospitality builds community and breaks down walls of fear, prejudice and indifference.