Reading 1
3 Jn 5-8
Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters,
especially for strangers;
they have testified to your love before the Church.
Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.
For they have set out for the sake of the Name
and are accepting nothing from the pagans.
Therefore, we ought to support such persons,
so that we may be co-workers in the truth.
Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Responsorial PsalmR.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Lk 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Meditation: 3 John 5-8
“Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.” (3 John 6)
John wrote this short letter to a man named Gaius. It is a letter of introduction, urging Gaius to welcome missionaries and offer them hospitality so they can continue their journey.
Scripture places great value on hospitality, which is still very important in the cultures of the Middle East. No matter how poor he is, a person in this region will eagerly welcome strangers into his home, setting his best food before them and attentively waiting on them. The story of Abraham is proverbial: The strangers he welcomes turn out to be angels, who foretell the imminent birth of his long-awaited son and heir (Genesis 18:1-15).
Sometimes we have opportunities to give and receive this sort of hospitality. It may be a single event like hosting the family Thanksgiving gathering or planning a neighborhood party. It may be more of a long-term commitment, like taking in an exchange student or a foster child.
But hospitality also has a spiritual dimension. Even if we don’t offer people a bed or a meal, we can “help them continue their journey.” We are all on a journey. When we were baptized, each of us “set out for the sake of the Name” (3 John 7). Each of us is at a different stage of the journey. Some are just now having a personal awakening to the power and reality of Christ. Others may be preparing to meet God face-to-face. Wherever we are, we can welcome our fellow travelers. Sometimes that will mean giving a hand to someone who needs it. Sometimes it will mean applauding someone who is moving forward. Sometimes that will mean offering material assistance, and other times it will mean a word of encouragement. Or timely instruction. Or even a word of correction and redirection.
Take a moment to think about those who have helped you on your journey and to think of how you can pass along this hospitality to someone else. Are you ready to open your home and your heart to family members, to neighbors, to fellow parishioners, to strangers, or to the needy? As you do this, you’ll find the journey even more enjoyable.
“Father, thank you for the people who have opened their hearts and their homes to me. Open my eyes to those you would have me help on their journey to you.”
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