Greetings,

Late last year, in preparation for this year, I read a book called The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke’s Gospel. In this book author Brendan Byrne (professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College) “portrays the life and ministry of Jesus as a divine visitation to the world, seeking hospitality”. Jesus, the one who comes often as the visitor and guest, quickly becomes the host and offers a different kind of hospitality which is open to the world. This is, of course, only one lens through which to read the gospel of Luke, but it provides a helpful perspective for pastoral reflection. It is well worth a read.
Hospitality is defined as the ‘friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.’ Yet in biblical times hospitality was something more as it often focused on the stranger or alien who was in need. Sharing a meal in the ancient world was literally sharing life with someone. Hospitality meant graciously receiving a
displaced person into one’s land, home or community and graciously providing for the needs of that person.
Hospitality is something that is certainly evident in many parts of the Koonung Heights community. I am fortunate to receive hospitality when I visit people, share communion with them, and share prayer and conversation. It is through these encounters that connections happen where I might not have expected they would.

Something else that has struck me in my visiting is the care that this community has for its members. It would be a rare event that I would visit someone (either at home or in hospital) when they do not enquire about how someone else is doing and then make sure that I know all that this individual has done for the Koonung Heights Community.
We are all certainly blessed to be part of the community of faith here at Koonung Heights. Let us strive to continue to be a community that is hospitable in our welcome to others so that, as a visitor said to me last week, our community might continue to ‘feel so warm and welcoming’.
Blessings – Rev Heather.