Hospitality - The Discerning Life Series
by Thomas B. Grosh IV, D.Min., CMDA Northeast Regional Director
What a joy to witness and experience the hospitality of CMDA Chapters across the Northeast. This photo is from a summer visit to Harvard.
What, then, makes for a discerning and hospitable community, whether in a church, a team, a family, or a group? (112-114).
Attention. Attentively notice God in the daily, the ordinary, and the particular…
Incarnation. Interact with one another where our life-on-life breathes life-with-hope…
Confirmation. Ask the right questions and keep each other focused on what matters…
Affirmation. Remain guided by principles that sustain our communion as God’s children…
Recognition. Realize that God will lead us forward no matter the obstacles or distractions…
Resurrection. Know with certainty that God is in the business of making all things new…It’s refreshingly life-giving when we choose to help each other create something special together, for this is the way of love, which always makes Jesus smile.
As you may remember from an earlier post, Stephen A. Macchia’s consideration of Hospitality: Spiritual Discernment is Communal* spoke to me in powerful way during a mini-Sabbatical this summer, leading me to give focused attention to pressing through and applying to our context The Discerning Life: An Invitation to Notice God in Everything. In returning to the chapter, I appreciated the attention he gives to these texts:
the sending out of the Twelve in Matthew 10 — be sure to read through to the powerful conclusion of the chapter,
the different aspects of hospitality as evidenced in the household of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus,
the community which arose after the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and
Over the course of this week, I encourage you to give these passages prayerful consideration. May they provide inspiration and guidance as your chapter engages the fall. May you welcome not only the returning, but also “new” with Christ’s love, peace, generosity, and grace.
Also, if you have not already done such, please register for the CMDA Northeast Annual Conference on October 28-30 at Sandy Cove (North East, MD). Truly a time to experience the love and encouragement of the people of God seeking to bring Christ’s hope and healing to the world during challenging times. The theme will be Resilience. Keep worshiping, fixing your eyes on, and pressing on in the upward hope of Christ Jesus. To God be the glory!
