Hospitality was vital to Benedict's vision of community. During his time, pilgrims and travelers were very common--most traveled on foot and there were no welcoming hotels along the way. It was up to those who lived along the road to provide housing and shelter for travelers.
Monasteries provided safe places to stop for the night while on a journey. Benedict asks that there be a stable, wise, polite person near the entrance to provide for the needs of the guest. Those are all great qualities to have in a greeter.
I know that when I travel and am needing directions back to the highway or to my destination I am always grateful to those who can clearly tell me where my next turn should be. It is also helpful when the person is able to say they don't know but can direct me to someone who might. There is definite wisdom in knowing our limits.
I hope to be a welcoming face to those who visit our home and to be able to provide reasonable directions.
Sr. Catherine, OSB
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment