When a stranger comes to church, do we welcome him or her and make him or her feel at home? Or do we mind our own business and carry on with our prayers or with whatever task we are doing? What if a stranger were to come to our home, would we be welcoming or hospitable towards the stranger; or would we be suspicious of the stranger, since we may have heard of horror stories of robberies or other unpleasant situations; or would we pretend not to be at home, hoping that the stranger would go away? What about those who are in prison or those who have been abused or badly treated? What have we done for them? Notice that these scenarios point to our duty to love others just as God loves us. It is easy to say we love God, since we do not see Him, but would we be just as generous in our love towards others, not just in words, but also in deeds?
In today’s reading, we are reminded: “Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the one body. Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement. Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?”
We call ourselves Christians and we believe that God would provide for us. But what are we doing or what have we done to provide for others? Are we making effort to love and care for others just as God is loving to all? Or has our love become a selfish love, only focusing on ourselves and perhaps on our loved ones?