The Fruit of The HOSPITALITY

1. The Fruit of The HOSPITALITY

2. Genesis 18: 1-10 • Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”They said, “Do as you have said.”So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”So he said, “Here, in the tent.”And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)

3. Meaning of Tent Door & Heat of the day • That historical encounter came to represent a true spiritual one, that every soul following the example of Abraham the Patriarch, would enjoy; and enter into a true loving friendship with God; would sit at the door of its tent by the terebinth trees of Mamre; would receive in it the Lord of heaven and His angels, to become a temple for God, proclaiming in it the kingdom of heavens • In order to have the Lord in us, let us get out to the door of the tent, and sit there by the terebinth trees of Mamre, in the heat of the day, beneath the shade of the trees. What is getting out of the tent, but the setting forth of the soul out of the lusts of the flesh, so that the bad lust would not entrap the soul inside it, to be confused by the worldly worries; but to set forth freely, to let man live spiritually and not carnally; to submit the tent to his soul, instead of submitting his soul to the weight of the tent.

4. Under the Trees • It is not enough to get out to the door of the tent, but we should also sit by the terebinth trees, namely by the cross, in the heat of the day, to contemplate in the wounds of the Lord, lifted on the cross in the sixth hour. • Thus, our tent becomes a center of comfort for the Lord, He finds pleasure in mankind. • Our tent would be transformed into a Paradise, with which the divine Groom is pleased. • This is for whom the bride has set her banquet. As for the table, it is a planted Paradise, living trees – ourselves - and the fruits that we offer are our souls... The food prepared is our salvation, and the fruits are our free will, that presents to God our souls, as though fruits gathered from the branch - St. Gregory of Nyssa

5. Run from the tent door to meet them • He thought they were traveling people. So he spoke to them with loveand a spirit of giving and humility, offering to wash their feet, and describing the food, he is going to offer them, as just a morsel of bread, a simple sign of love that cannot be refused. • Our Father Abraham, over 100 years of age, who has many servants, himself sitting down in the heat of the day, waiting for a blessing; with all this, He RAN to meet and greet COMPLETE STRANGERS and offer them Hospitality. • How great is our Father Abraham’s love to offer Himself completely to people He hasn’t met before. Have you greeted a stranger with this much love?

6. bowed himself to the ground • Bowing down to someone is a sign of humility; • A sign of welcoming/hospitality • A sign of a peaceful Man • A sign of Respect • A sign of love to a stranger • A sign of honor to the people you’re welcoming

7. wash your feet • “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and He saw and was glad.” John 8:56 • The great Father Abraham completed this commandment before God established it. This is an incredible sign of the Holy Spirit’s work in us. This is why God chose Father Abraham because His heart was like God’s heart. • “It is good to have humility; as when I wash away the uncleanness of others, I am washing away my own uncleanness” – St. Ambrose • “It is as though, the beginning of hospitality is the washing, not of feet, but of uncleanness, by forgiving the wrong that others committed against us. By that, as we wash out their uncleanness, we are washing our own. “ – St. Ambrose

8. Prepare the meal • Thus Abraham, his wife, and his servants, did not only partake of the good deed, but also hastened to do it, as though not to lose that chance. • Abraham, his wife and servants, all hasten; There is no room for laziness in the house of the wise. - Origen • Let our houses be like that of Abraham, who, together with his wife and servants used to work for the Lord, with an alert spirit and a fiery heart, that knows no laziness. – St. John Chrysostom

9. Abraham, Sarah & Servant • Abrahamrepresents the human soul that sets forth out of the tent, to sit by the cross, to receive all with love • Sarah, on her part, represents the body, sanctified in the Lord, who offers cakes that rejoices God’s heart. By that Sarah partook of the process of hospitality; so the body partook, with the soul, of the life of union with God, and walking by His Holy Spirit. • Servants, they refer to the energies and capacities of men that offer sacrifices of love to God, as did the servant of Abraham!

10. The Meal The Meal represents 3 things: FaithHopeLove

11. The meal (cont’d) • The three measures probably refer to “faith, hope, and love,” the three items, kneaded by the Church, to offer to the Lord, through the life of her children, fine bread that pleases the Lord. • This is what the Church offers continuously, especially as these things are kneaded with the water of the Holy Spirit. • By the Holy Spirit, as the heart is filled with faith, the soul sets forth toward her heavenly Groom. • By hope it over-rides any obstacle and becomes filled with joy. • By love, it enters into where the throne of God is (Love Itself). • This is our undivided spiritual dough, by which we come into the bosom of God, as an offer of love to Him.

12. He stood by them under the tree as they ate • Abraham, his wife, and servants, did not only hasten to prepare and offer the best they have to entertain their guests, but Abraham, the old man, stood by them as they ate. • Although he had servants, slaves and maids, yet he, himself, lovingly stood to serve them! • Let us stand with Abraham under the tree of the cross, to serve others with humility and joy. We would in them serve the Lord.

13. The Fruit of Hospitality • “Sarah your wife shall have a son” • Through your loving hospitality, your humbling service, caring for strangers, having respect and honor, being peaceful with others, and showing an example of God’s love, the Lord your God will bless you with many fruits; • And first fruit: your son

14. The Son • He grants them “Isaac,” meaning ‘laugh’. It is indeed ‘laugh,’ when it is said of the aged barren Sarah, that she became a mother. • What is really greater, is it that, through Isaac, the Savior Messiah would come carrying the flesh as Abraham’s son, when in truth He is his God, for all nations to be blessed/ • It is an exalted and an incomprehensible divine work! That was the fruit that was enjoyed by Abraham and Sarah through their faith, working in love.