A Stranger and You Welcomed Me

“Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person 5 lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you” (Luke 10: 5-6).

The Christian tradition has long been renowned for its commitment to hospitality, to taking in friend or weary stranger in times of need. St. Benedict says it well to his monks, “Humility is to be shown to all arriving or departing guests: by bowing the head or prostrating the whole body on the ground Christ is to be adored in them just as he is received in them” (Rule 53:6). I am proud to say my own family revels in this tradition, starting with my Abuelee who for over forty years has been caring for the poor of El Salvador, and in my own life, the countless parties which have been enjoyed and carried well into the night at my very home…not to mention the countless number of teenage boys who, for at least one night, have called our basement floor their home.

Thus, I have been conditioned not only to open a door of hospitality to friend and neighbor, but also have learned to appreciate it, thanks to the great role models who bless my life. In this one month (that’s right today’s the one month anniversary of arriving in España!!!) I have already gratuitous amounts of hospitality, so much so I can’t help but write it down for my own memory.

I have to start first with my family, La Familia Del Pino Morales. They are really Godsends. I was very nervous coming here (Thanks Brittany!!!) that I wouldn’t like the food (forgetting the mouth is a veritable vacuum cleaner), would suffer intense culture shock, and would struggle outside Notre Dame’s vibrant liturgical life. Well, none of those three have manifested negatively. There’s certainly culture shock, pero no pasa nada…see I’m getting used to it already! I also wish a few more people went to Church, but again no pasa nada.

Back to los Del Pino Morales. They’re cooking expertise and calm demeanor make me feel so welcome and comfortable here…hence why I’m not doing any homework right now hahaha…maybe that’s just a reflection of my work ethic though. Last weekend I went to one of Fernando’s football matches with them…good times. The Señora is quite the fan…and I bet the referees appreciate her enthusiasm oh so much…ha. Let’s just say when the red-shirted arbitro got home he probably looked at a tomato in his kitchen and said “I don’t look like that…do I?” It was a good game though. Fernando’s team won, against the top team in the league no less, although he did get hurt (all better now!), and there were four red cards shown, on top of a montón de amarillos. Concurrently, Silvia was swimming to qualify for nationals. She only came home with three first place trophies…Michael Phelps anyone? Except for the DUI and the pot part of course :-) Needless to say the next day was a day of celebration in the house…culminated by the paella fabulosa which we had for comida…keep the victories coming hermanos!!! Truly though, they treat me as one of their own…evidenced by their relentless picking on me for loving to sleep and eat…and not work hehe.

My next group of welcomers se llaman (are called) La Fraternidad de María Estrella de la Mañana (Fraternity of Mary Star of the Morning). They are a new religious order within the Catholic Church and are in charge of La Sinagoga María Estrella del Mar (Mary Star of the Sea Synagogue). That’s right, it is a synagogue named after Mary and run by a Catholic religious order. It was a synagogue before the Jews of Toledo were expelled, then it was converted into a Church (hence the name) and is now designated as a place of reconciliation for Catholics and Jews. The founder of the order, Hermano Abraham de la Cruz, was born into a Franco-Jewish family, was an atheist, then converted to Catholicism. He is an artist, poet, and I think, a mystic of sorts (don’t quote me on that yet) and straight baller. When Emily, Maeve, and I visited this historic site, we made friends with two of the nuns who invited us to say Vespers with them on Sunday. We took them up on the offer (to their surprise I think) and were welcomed with such open arms. Hugs, smiles, and introductions were exchanged de prisa (hurriedly) as they were about to begin praying. A nice young brother (recently professed as we would find out) showed us where exactly to look in the breviaries, which are even more intimidating in Spanish. It was such a beautiful prayer, they all could sing, and there was such sincerity, such a genuine love of God in their voices. Afterwards several of us went into their sitting room, whose view of Toledo is breathtaking, and chatted for over an hour. Hermano Abraham was visiting for the weekend, so it was a great time to visit.

His perceptiveness and incredible wisdom more or less pierced our souls throughout the whole conversation (look for more in a reflective post which is still under construction). The softness of his French accent combined with the musicality of the Spanish language held the ears of our hearts captive as he encouraged us forth in life of prayer and service. The other community members present, one of whom was his son (long story) and another of whom entered a Buddhist monastery at 6, offered us bits of advice garnered from the novels of their lives. It was clear that this was group of people who had serious self-knowledge, and what’s more, a serious knowledge of who they truly are and how God calls them daily. This was evidenced by the fact that what should’ve been “awkward silences” were not. Often times you can tell when people feel uncomfortable during silence, they need a distraction, they need to be occupied. However, it was clear that everyone in that room was so aware of God’s presence; they could sit in silence all day and hear God’s voice as clearly as a baby’s cry. Unfortunately we couldn’t stay for dinner, but that just gives a reason to go back! The recipients of dos besos and a shower of blessings, Em, Maeve, and I walked out of that house in awe of what had just happened…in awe of how strangers had become good friends because of a simple invitation, a simple prayer, and a simple conversation.

Some of Hermano Abraham's art. Clockwise: Autoretrato, Corpus Christi, y Silencio

Hospitable encounter number three happened this morning. Yo madrugué (I woke up very early…haha yes, Spanish has a verb for waking up at the crack of dawn) went to the Cathedral to hear a Mass in the Hispano-Mozarb rite. It dates all the way back to some of the earliest Christian people of Spain (ca. 5th Century) and has been kept alive by the city of Toledo since the whole Church went on the Roman Rite. It was pretty awesome. The priests begin by chanting their morning prayer and then Mass begins. The priest had an amazing voice. His chants were quite moving and offered time for some awesome internal prayer. After Mass, I was allowed to walk around the Cathedral for free (usually €7), which was amazing, and something I plan on doing again. Anyhoo, while I was meandering around the main altar (wow…that’s all I have to say) and the choir, I heard a tour guide speaking in English. So I nonchalantly wandered over to hear what he had to say, and walked away well informed. To no seem shady, I walked away from the group, only to meet them later in the Cathedral’s museum/art gallery. One of the women separated from the group and was near me admiring El Greco’s El Expolio. I asked her where they were from and a sweet Southern accent informed me they were from Baton Rouge.

The colors here are a little off, but in the real one Christ's red tunic stands out like crazy

As we continued to talk, she got over her prejudice against Yankees for a minute :-), I found out they were traveling with their parish throughout the Peninsula on a vacation/pilgrimage. Their pastor was with them and was going to be saying a Mass shortly…in English!!! She kindly invited me, and I couldn’t resist hearing the words of the Sacred Liturgy in my native tongue, so I joined them. What’s more is that they were holding the Mass in a chapel usually closed to the public, so I got to see a part of the Cathedral otherwise unknown to me. It was a beautiful Mass. As today’s first reading spoke of man’s need for companionship and the creation of Eve, Fr. David spoke passionately about the intimacy we are called to share with another, not just husband and wife, but all of us—brothers and sisters in Christ. Talk about practicing before you preach. Without knowing too much about my life, I could’ve been a con-artist for all they knew, they opened their community to me and yearned for me to pray with them. At the sign of peace the women opened their arms to me as mothers and the men made their “brother” as one called me. As we were about to part ways, Fr. David me gave me his card and offered his parish to me as a place of repose if I were ever in Baton Rouge. I hope to take them up on that offer one day :-)

All in all, this pilgrimage of a semester has thoroughly convinced me of the great power that a hospitable home or community has to change hearts. To invite a stranger is to invite Christ, for not only does He say, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35) but also “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Thus, for us to extend ourselves and our homes to others brings blessing upon us and to all. What a great reason to have a party!!!

“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous" (Luke 14: 13-14)