Henri Nouwen on Hospitality

In these days where our community bonds are more and more stressed, I thought I'd write out some quotes from Henri Nouwen. As usual, he has more profound things to say than I do this morning.

"Old and New Testament stories not only show how serious our obligation is to welcome the stranger in our home, but they also tell us that guests are carrying precious gifts with them, which they are eager to reveal to a receptive host." (originally in Reaching Out; reprinted in Show Me the Way, page 25)

"We can only perceive the stranger as an enemy as long as we have something to defend. But when we say, 'Please enter--my house is your house, my joy is your joy, my sadness is your sadness, and my life is your life,' we have nothing to defend, since we have nothing to lose but all to give." (originally in Reaching Out; reprinted in Show Me the Way, page 26)

"Poverty makes a good host. This paradoxical statement needs some more explanation. In order to be able to reach out to the other in freedom, two forms of poverty are very important, the poverty of mind and the poverty of heart." (originally in Reaching Out; reprinted in Show Me the Way, page 27)