Mercy and Hospitality: Two sides of the same coin

A recent game between the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets turned into an emotional roller coaster following the sudden death of Marlins’ pitcher Jose Fernandez. Fernandez, 24, died in a boating accident off the coast of Miami two weekends ago. The following Monday, the Marlins paid tribute to Fernandez during their game with the Mets. They wore jerseys bearing Fernandez’s number, 16, and before the game began, a video tribute honoring Fernandez was played to a melancholy version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Then, something unusual happened. In an act of compassion and sportsmanship, the Mets broke the barrier of decorum to embrace the Marlins in their grief. This small act, it turns out, was a big deal. As Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton said to a New York Times reporter,“You never think a hug, or a few hugs, would change anything or be that big. But that was huge of them.” The Mets demonstrated the virtue of hospitality by showing mercy and empathy toward their rivals. 

Hospitality means to love the stranger. As demonstrated by the Mets, a small act of kindness, a nod, a smile, an invitation, a genuine gesture of interest and caring go a long way. Here are some small ways we can help visitors feel welcome at Mass each week:

Cultivate the virtue of hospitality.

Reach out to newcomers and unfamiliar faces. Seek out someone you’ve not met before. Shake their hand, introduce yourself, and take a few moments to welcome them to our parish.

Come early, leave late.

Make the effort to come to Mass a little early and linger just a bit later. Make room in your busy life to greet and spend time with others at Mass, especially people you don’t know.

Help newcomers connect

While you are getting to know visitors, introduce them to other parishioners as the opportunity presents itself. Invite visitors to sit next to you.  Practice hospitality in choosing where to sit.  Instead of sitting at the end of the pew, consider moving into the middle, making room for others to sit on the end.

Give visitors information about the parish

After Mass, introduce visitors to the person at the welcome desk. Ensure that a visitor has a bulletin and other information about the parish before they leave.

Our liturgy is ultimately the gift of God’s hospitality; God’s invitation to share God’s life and God’s love in every ritual moment. We who experience God’s hospitality are called to become instruments of it, as this Gaelic rune attests.

I saw a stranger yestreen: I put the food in the eating place, drink in the drinking place, music in the listening place. And, in the sacred name of the Triune, he blessed myself and my house, my cattle and my dear ones. And the lark said in her song, often, often, often, goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise; often, often, often, goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise.