Breath of the Spirit Reflection: The Hard Work of Hospitality

March 23, 2022

DignityUSA

The Christian dictum to See Christ in the Other has been so regularly and casually spoken to be in danger of becoming clicha as if this deep way of seeing were easy or common. Jesus reminds us that such generous vision is not in fact easy to accomplish especially when the Other has not acted with grace toward us. And yet to recognize the good of the Other to see them with compassion and to consider how we might offer help is the essence of gospel hospitality. Without an alive sense of our own failings such graced seeing may be impossible. Perhaps that is why todays reflection begins with the Negro Spiritual Fix Me Jesus a song thick with confidence in Loves healing. Maybe that is the difference between the father and the eldest son in todays parable. The former recognizes the need for and possibility of healing. The latter sees only their own pain. As is often the case with Jesus parables the difference in how these two characters welcome the Other is stark. Leaving the reader with our own seeing to consider and our own stark choices to make.<h3>March 27 2022: The Fourth Sunday in Lent</h3>Joshua 5:9a 10-12Psalm 342 Corinthians 5:17-21Luke 15: 1-3 11-32<h2>The Hard Work of Hospitality</h2>A reflection by Ann Marie Szpakowsa<a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=17303&qid=2334355 target=_blank>Fix Me Jesus Negro Spiritual</a>(1957 recording by Robert McFerrin)Oh fix me oh fix me oh fix meFix me Jesus fix me.Fix me for my long white robe fix me Jesus fix me. Fix me for my starry crown.Fix me Jesus fix me.Oh fix me oh fix me oh fix meFix me Jesus fix me.Fix me for my journey homeFix me Jesus fix meFix me for my dying bed Fix me Jesus fix me.Oh fix me oh fix me oh fix meFix me Jesus fix me. Todays gospel reading is commonly called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Some scripture scholars have made a case for calling it the Prodigal Father while others suggest renaming it the Parable of the Lost Sons. Our lectionary reading begins with key verses that set the stage for the parable in Luke 15:1-3: Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain saying This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. So to them Jesus addressed this parable. This remarkably familiar parable is the 3rd story in Luke 15 which includes the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. These enigmatic parables can be seen together as a controversial Rabbis response to the oppressive grumblings of the religious authorities of his day as Amy-Jill Levine a scholar of New Testament and Jewish Studies details in her book Short Stories by Jesus. Parables are complex stories. Centuries have passed since they were first told written down preached about and commented on. How can we comprehend their meaning without admitting that our lenses have been clouded by our own experiences as well as with the domination of Western culture on both our society and our religious institutions? How can we recover a Middle Eastern mindset similar to one that gave rise to the parables in the first place?Another New Testament scholar whose books I have found helpful in gently removing the cataracts from my own perceptions is Kenneth E. Bailey. His foundational study is titled Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes.  Among his other works are three titles which specifically unpack Luke 15: Finding the Lost Jacob and the Prodigal and The Cross and the Prodigal. Two other books with a more Roman Catholic vision are Henri J. M. Nouwens The Return of the Prodigal Son A Story of Homecoming and Brian J. Pierce OPs Jesus and the Prodigal Son The God of Radical Mercy. I would be hard pressed to summarize the work of the amazing authors but I do wish to share this personal encounter with the parable. Many years ago while attending a class on prayer we were given Luke 15:11-32 to read and meditate on and then we were asked Which of the 3 characters do we most resemble or are attracted to? I was surprised and stunned to be gravitating towards the eldest son. It dawned on me that being the oldest meant being the responsible one. My younger brother always seemed to have been given more latitude than I even though he tended to be rebellious. What does the parable tell us about the Eldest? Although Jewish law would require that he receive two thirds of his fathers property the parable tells us the father divided the property between them. Some scholars read this as a 50/50 split. We are told that the father spends his days looking for his young son while he was still a long way off his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion.  Bob Dufford SJ penned <a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=17304&qid=2334355 target=_blank>My Son has gone away</a> which puts into words the fathers lament:My Son has gone away left me gone astray. But I have seen the way he went                                 and I will bring him back.                     Jerusalem Jerusalem how could you run away?Jerusalem how long my son?Ill wait for you Ill stay.Perhaps my son is weary and cold. Perhaps hes tired and sad.                               Tonight Ill go and watch again                               And wait for his return.  Jerusalem Jerusalem how could you run away?Jerusalem how long my son?Ill wait for you Ill stay.When the younger son returns home he is given his fathers best robe sandals and signet ring. The fatted calf is slaughtered as his father exclaimed Then let us celebrate with a feast because this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. The Eldest comes to find that music and dancing is taking place and refuses to enter the home. His father comes to plead with him. Throwing his brother under the bus he suggests to their father that his brother spent his inheritance on prostitutes something he could not have had any knowledge of. His father repeats the phrase but now we must celebrate and rejoice because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. It is here that the parable abruptly ends and we the hearers of the Word are left with the task of completing it for ourselves and for our spiritual communities.Who do we or will we excommunicate from the Feast?Radical Hospitality is only a catchphrase until we put into action.Ann Marie Szpakowska has been active and in leadership of Dignity/Buffalo for nearly 40 years. She also participates in the Women's Caucus and has been an active contributor to Liturgical planning for Dignity's Conventions Conferences and on Feminist Liturgy Committees over many years. She has presented workshops both locally and at Dignity Conventions.She has also been a member of St. Martin de Porres parish since 4 inner city churches merged and built a new sanctuary in 1993. St. Martin de Porres is a predominantly African American community in Buffalo New York.<a class=btn btn-primary href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe>Subscribe to Breath of the Spirit</a>

Breath of the Spirit Reflection: The Hard Work of Hospitality

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