Scripture as source of prayer and devotion

[Neofight]

Whenever I come across a reading or verse that somehow piques my attention, I use it as a source of prayer, devotion, and meditation very much like the Lectio Divina. However, I find it helpful to "chase" the verse to other scriptures, and to compose and record my thoughts, to share and reflect on myself.

Here's an example. It came from a mass reading earlier this week; 1 Peter 4:7-13. I isolated the one verse that the Holy Spirit seemed to be drawing my attention to:

1st Peter 4:9

Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

Peter’s words remind us that Jesus commanded us, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39b).” And, throughout scripture we are reminded of the importance God places on love, not only toward Him as our Creator, but between each other; his Creation.

There are other scriptures that drive home the message Peter is passing on to us in this passage:
•Hebrews 13:2 – Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.

Too many times, I have avoided eye contact with, or even had disparaging thoughts about what appeared only to be a dirty, miserable, homeless person, without even a fleeting thought of compassion for them and their situation. In doing so, I may have not only passed up the opportunity of providing hospitality to some poor soul, I we may have actually passed up an opportunity to entertain angels, or worse…I may have blatantly blocked an important message being brought by a messenger from the Lord, that I did not recognize as the angel he or she really was!

Scripture shows us evidence where others have been compassionate towards others who were not initially recognized as angels. And in at least one scriptural account, the charity and kindness shown to the messengers of God was repaid.

•Genesis 19 – Two angels visited Lot’s home, and although he recognized them as important men, he did not recognize them as angels. Lot invited them into his home, knowing Sodom was an inhospitable place, feed them, and even protected them from a crowd of Sodomites who were intent on doing harm to them. The messengers of the Lord warned Lot of the pending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, sparing his life. Had Lot not showed hospitality to the visitors, he may not have received the message that would ultimately saved his life!

Even more damning than passing up a messenger of God send to us by lack of hospitality and charity, a hard heart might even cause us to pass on showing compassion and hospitality to Jesus Christ, himself!

•Matthew 25:31- 46 – Christ reminds us that he will judge us on how we treat others, for hospitable, compassionate, and charitable treatment of our neighbors (that includes strangers) will be viewed as hospitable, compassionate, and charitable treatment to himself. And inversely, if we treat with contempt – or even ignore – the plight of those in need, it will be viewed as treating Christ in the same manner!

Let us pray that we be forgiven for the indifference and contempt we have held for those in need, and always show our love for the Lord by obeying his commandment to love our neighbors by being, as Peter wrote, “ hospitable to one another without complaining”.

Amen!