Thought for the Week - 10th April 2022

Dear Friends,

In Luke’s account of the Feeding of the 5000, the event is prefaced by Jesus wanting to withdraw with the apostles to Bethsaida, but the crowds find him and continue following him. In the gospel we read, ‘Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing’ (Luke 9:11). The word translated ‘welcomed’ means to receive someone heartily and gladly, we might say to embrace someone with open arms, and during his earthly ministry, Jesus welcomed all sorts of people in all kinds of settings, seemingly always making time for those in need of his help. To know a warm welcome is such a precious thing, and if we are a stranger in some situation – be it visiting another country, starting a new job or school, or looking for a new church – we would hope that we would be welcomed and not feel like a stranger or an outsider for very long. I’ve recently discovered an ancient Celtic welcome which apparently is found over the door of an old inn in Wales and reads, ‘Hail guest, we ask not what thou art; If friend we greet thee, hand and heart; If stranger, such no longer be; If foe, our love shall conquer thee.’ (Celtic Daily Prayer Book 2). That is what is at the heart of our capacity to welcome – love – the love that we show to someone who is as yet not a part of the group that we belong to but has come as a visitor or ‘guest’. And maybe in our busy and hectic lives, we all need to pause and take the time to look around at who might be a stranger or ‘guest’ amongst us and offer them the welcome which Jesus himself shows, the welcome we have received from others, and the welcome we are expected to offer as followers of Jesus, because every single person is loved by, and is precious to, God.   

Grace and peace,

Neil
                   

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