“Together, we must look for ways to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming, like this Square with its open arms, all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.”
– Pope Leo XIV
Have you ever had a conversation with someone you just met, and it feels like you’ve known them forever? Recently, I had the chance to finally visit a longtime friend of the organization I had never met. I wasn’t looking for a gift but boy, did I receive one! As I entered her house, I was greeted with a friendly hug and the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted. The kitchen table conversation ranged from the hopes and concerns we have for the Church to the hopes and concerns we have for our children. I learned about her daily ministry to the homeless and the deep relationship she has with her clients.
At some point, when I found myself appreciating just how familiar the exchange felt, my newfound friend offered an interesting self-reflection. She wondered if she might be “too familiar” with Jesus. “If He came in right now, I’d hug Him. Is that wrong?” she asked. I answered, “No,” and immediately realized why I felt so at home in this house. My friend’s life is rooted in relationship, and one very important relationship with the Lord. The bread she serves me is the same bread that she serves those in need - and what she would also serve to our Lord if she could sit with Him at her kitchen table. The familiarity we shared and the experience I was blessed with had nothing to do with who I was, but who He is to her.
As I left with banana bread that fed me for a week, I couldn’t help but wonder how much my closeness with others might be proportional to my closeness with the Lord. Be they a supporter or a stranger, would I welcome them with warmth? Will I invite them to my table? Would I seek to get to know who they are because I believe in Whose they are? What do we do when someone comes through our door? What would we do if He came through?
As we open our homes to the guest list we know and love, let’s make sure we try to expand our list to match His.
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