Generosity and Hospitality
Theme for Week
Reflection By Scott Stoner
To magnify is to enlarge, and that is what Mary’s song challenges us to do—to enlarge our vision of who is blessed, of whom God acts in and through.
- Wendy Claire Barrie
This week we will focus on the connection between generosity and hospitality. We will explore other biblical teachings on these topics, as both the early church and the church through the ages have worked to express generous hospitality.
In yesterday’s inspiring reflection on the Magnificat, Mary’s words found in Luke 1:46-55, Wendy Claire Barrie reminded us how Mary, from the very beginning, modeled an expansive hospitality. The quote above from Wendy’s reflection is a call to us now to enlarge our vision of generosity and hospitality by examining and growing our vision of who is blessed.
This week we will see how the hospitality that God calls each of us to extend to others is grounded in the same hospitality that God offers to us. Hospitality is fundamentally about making space for others—creating room in our hearts, homes, and lives for people to experience welcome, acceptance, and care.
For people of faith, hospitality and generosity are not meant to be nice additions to a Christian life. Instead, they are meant to be at the center of living a faith that is grounded in the very life that Jesus modeled for us.
Making it Personal: What comes to mind for you when you think about connections between generosity and hospitality? How do you see Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a model for generous hospitality? Today, look for one opportunity to “enlarge your vision” by extending welcome or kindness to someone you might not usually notice or include.