Volume 36, No. 12
Being Bread for the Journey...
Steve Graham
In his book, Bread for the Journey, Henri Nouwen explores hospitality, the expression of love for our guests, on the one hand, but also and foremost an expression of love between the hosts. In other words, we want to be bread for the journey for each other as well. Jesus said, “By this will all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” Our relationships with and for one another start our hospitality with and for our guests. “Good relationships are hospitable,” says Nouwen.
“When we enter into a home and feel warmly welcomed, we will soon realize that the love among those who live in that home is what makes that welcome possible.” Come to think of it, our hospitality towards the stranger in our midst begins with the expression of our affection with those already near and known and loved by us.
Receiving and welcoming our guests is marked by our reception and welcome of one another. In a very real sense, it is the beginning of our ministry of being bread for the journey.