Advent reflection #5

Through Advent 2009 we reflected on the theme of hospitality, and this reflection focusses on the community aspect of hospitality…

When Mary and Joseph with their newborn baby Jesus came to the inn, there was no room for them to stay. They were effectively homeless, out on the street. But the innkeeper had a spare barn where they could stay, and he in his generosity offered it to Mary and Joseph. This was where Jesus spent His first night on earth.

Now Jesus calls us, like the innkeeper, to give out of what we have.

To show hospitality out of our blessing, to our own community. There are different ways we can and have done this.

Yesterday we did free present wrapping for the people of Sutton, people giving of their time and energy to provide a free blessing to the people of the community, and people giving wrapping paper out of their excess to enable them to do this. (pictures) There is also another project in Sutton which allows us to give out of our excess. The Sutton Foodbank provides three days free food for those who have no food, and these people really do exist in our community.

If each person gives one piece of food, which individually doesn’t cost us much, we could feed at least one person who has no food for three days. There are other projects where all it takes is a little from us to make a huge difference to somebody’s life.

Jesus is always calling us to show hospitality to those in need in our own community, and we should now reflect on what God might be calling us to do, and then we will pray for those in need in our community, and that God will show us how we can make a difference.