How to treat your guests; Angels: Day 083

Last updated on: October 12, 2016 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

How to treat your guests; Angels: Day 083 2016-10-01T11:10:36-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How to treat your guests

St. Cyril of Alexandria has some advice for those who might entertain wandering monks, or any other stranger who comes by. Don’t try to impress them with a magnificent feast: be grateful to them for coming, and give them just as much as they need to take care of their hunger.

But if you do open your house to them, meet them cheerfully, and quick- ly, and as their equals—and not so much as if you were giving something to them, but as if you were receiving something from them—as if you were gaining and not spending. And the more so because you profit doubly. In the first place, you enjoy the instruction of those whom you hospitably entertain. Secondly, you also win the reward of hospitality. Either way, you profit.

But when you receive the brethren into your house, do not be distracted with much service. Do not seek anything beyond your means, or more than enough. For everywhere and in everything excess is harmful. Often it produces hesitation in those who otherwise would be glad to receive strangers, and causes but few houses to be found fit for the purpose—while it proves a cause of annoyance to those who are entertained.

But when holy men are assembled at the house of one who fears God, let the table be plain and temperate, the food simple and free from superfluities. In everything, a small supply of such necessaries as will take care of the bodily appetite with simple fare.

This is how to receive strangers. In this way, Abraham by the oak at Mamre received those three men, and won as the reward of his carefulness the promise of his beloved son Isaac. In the same way Lot in Sodom honored the angels, and for doing so was not destroyed by fire with the rest, and did not become the prey of the inextinguishable flame. –St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Sermon 59

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Am I more concerned to impress people than I am to impress the angels? Do my efforts really impress people anyway?

CLOSING PRAYER

Guardian Angel, make me attentive to others, so that I may never fail in the duty of hospitality.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Mike Aquilina and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with the Angels

Mike Aquilina

Saint Benedict Press

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Previous Post

October 12, 2016

CBB Review - Particles of Faith

Next Post

October 13, 2016 CBB Review: Autumn Meditations

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz