Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mt 10:37-42
July 2, 2023

NBC journalists DeSilva and Day published a brief article entitled, “A Tale of Two Disasters” last week.

Very briefly, the article compared the public interest and reaction, as well as the vast differences in recovery efforts, between two recent disasters at sea. The first involved a fishing boat bound for Italy, overloaded with refugees fleeing UNLIVABLE conditions in their native countries. The public interest and reaction were what we have come to expect as “border security” becomes an ever-greater concern within wealthy nations.

This first disaster, which claimed hundreds of lives, triggered protests and civil unrest in Europe. In the U.S., however, reporting of the tragedy was short-lived, and one wonders whether it would have been reported here at all, but for the violent reaction against the influx of refugees and immigrants.

(Did you know anything about this tragedy?)

The second “Tale of Disaster” was, of course, the loss of the Titan submarine carrying underwater tourists, who, quite likely, paid a great deal of money to visit the wreckage of yet another disaster at sea. Ironically, the sinking of the Titanic was also an occasion to consider how human life is very often valued according to wealth and social standing.

(This story was…and continues to make the headlines…almost impossible to miss!)

A representative of a human rights“ watch dog” for Europe and Central Asia was quoted by DeSilva and Day as saying: “The willingness to allow certain people to die while every effort is made to save others…it’s a, you know, really dark reflection on humanity.”

There is an undeniable difference in the way that authorities and emergency services dealt with the two catastrophic events. That fact alone makes it more important than ever that Christians clearly understand and embrace the lesson at the core of this Sunday’s Readings.

HOSPITALITY is the clear link between the passage from 2nd Kings and the Gospel. The “woman of influence” who convinced her husband to offer HOSPITALITY to Elisha the Prophet continues to influence and inspire people of good will even to this day. Her house guest caught her attention because she recognized him as “a holy man of God.” It’s important to notice that there is no indication that her generosity was motivated by the hope of reward or reimbursement. Still, she was rewarded in a very unexpected and meaningful way.

The Gospel passage is a continuation of Jesus’s instructions to the 12 before they embark on their first mission trip. He encourages them to rely on HOSPITALITY from people of goodwill. But the way the instruction begins seems to stretch the obligation on hosts to include all those in need.

It shocks our sensibilities to think that we should put any limits on the love and affection we have for those closest to us. However, if one sits with the opening lines, and then allows them to flow into the directives on HOSPITALITY that follow, it seems that the Lord is warning us to embrace every human being as “a holy child of God” and to offer HOSPITALITY when needed… or suffer dire consequences.

Think of it this way:

“The willingness to allow certain people to die while every effort is made to save others…it’s a, you know, really dark reflection on humanity” … and a VERY DARK REFLECTION humanity’s willingness to understand and embrace the lesson at the core of The Gospel. We are called to respond to all human disasters WITHOUT consideration to where they are coming from, where they are traveling to, the reason for their trip, and most definitely without consideration to their wealth or social standing. To behave otherwise risks misfortune.

On the other hand, when a person or a nation rises to the challenge of this Gospel message…God’s Blessings are assured.

IF WE ARE TO HOPE FOR GOD’S CONTINUED BLESSINGS ON AMERICA, THEN WE AS A NATION “OF INFLUENCE”… must continue to show the rest of the world how to put these Readings into action.