Journal of Sacred Work

“The essence of our lives is how we receive the stranger at the threshold … who is about to become a friend… and it is going to change you.”~Noirin Ni Riain

 On a recent sojourn, I discovered the charm of Ireland’s people and the enchantment of her stunning landscape. I felt a deep connection of her past to present day and a vibrant spirituality embedded in nature. To arrive as a stranger and to be received as friend was a moving experience.

 Impressive beyond measure, were old structures that had outlived there usefulness but were not torn down or bulldozed over by progress. Instead, they stood gorgeous in reverent testimony of the ancestors. Traces of ancient ruins and stone walls wove patterns around homes and farms in patchwork designs. Newer homes sat content proximity to the old, blending history with the greening of life.

At every twist and turn of our journey, we were welcomed in as family. Our gracious hosts fed us, warmed our bedding,  creating a bond of trust and nurturance. We nestled in around a kitchen hearth or fireplace with a pot of tea, soup, Irish brown bread, sandwiches or homemade scones and jam. Conversation flowed easily around the happenings of people in community. I felt as if I had returned to a less complicated, more loving time, one that reflected the fullness of life at its very best.

My hope is to carry the precious gift of Ireland within me for all the days of my life. This experience led me to reflect on the meaning of hospitality with a desire to cultivate this practice as the foundation for living a rich life.

‘INCANDESCENT’

Imagine entering a room, to be
immediately wrapped by the
warmth of an incandescent smile.

 The smile of another, truly appreciative
for the presence of a fellow soul.

 Momentarily the world might stop, as the
incandescence would whisper its
unspoken meaning.

 ‘You and I are together. Along this
untrodden path of our two lives.’

 What meaningful cause could
possibly prevent one soul from
meeting another in such a fashion?

 By -Nic Askew

 Consider the definition of hospitality, “ kindness in welcoming guests, or strangers with generosity and goodwill. Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host….and constitutes a key ingredient of family life. Essential to hospitality is the ability to welcome people of diverse background offering food and shelter The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenos, which means "lovers of strangers." It has the same origin as the phrase philadelphia that means "brotherly love."

Philosopher, Richard Kearney notes “hospitality” stems from the same root as “hostility." He stresses the importance of acknowledging this reality in our human struggle and limitations to bring hospitality out of hostility. Else, we might risk hospitality becoming a only cheap grace instead of a sacred encounter. This duality  implies that we make a choice. When a stranger knocks on our door to interrupt our routine how will we see them, as a friend or enemy?

 Kearney describes hospitality as, "a ritual based on ancient customs.  A declaration of intent to  welcome the stranger." This is a common thread that runs through all religious traditions. Celtic Christianity manifests as an openness to the other. A recognition of Christ as the guest disguised as stranger in each of us, “I came as guest and you received me.”  Sacred singer and theologian, Noirin Ni Riain speaks of hospitality as 100,000 welcomes stating, “the essence of our lives is how we receive the stranger at the threshold  who is about to become a friend… and it is going to change you.”  

Authentic hospitality welcomes not only friends and family but also those who have nothing to bring to the table,  and without expectation of reciprocation. In her book, “Making Room,” Christine Pohl describes hospitality as a form of resistance to the societal messages that foster isolation and a lack of belonging. "When the larger society disregards and dishonors certain persons, small acts of respect and welcome are potent far beyond them selves. They point to a different system of valuing and an alternative model of relationships." Hospitable practices can challenge our previously unchallenged beliefs and values.

In closing, I’d like to introduce you to an artistic experiment in hospitality called, The Guestbook Project. Directed by philosopher Richard Kearney and sponsored by Boston College, the project's core themes are the relationship between host and stranger; violence and reconciliation; the citizen and the alien. Learn more by watching this informative video.

~liz Sorensen Wessel