House of Welcome
We all crave somewhere we can belong: A place where we can be ourselves, fully accepted and loved, and where a warm hug, a good meal, and a listening ear await.
For Jesus, that place was the House of Bethany, the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
Radical Hospitality
In recent years, Catholic culture has placed increasing emphasis of the charism of hospitality and home - an important opportunity for self gift, but often twisted into obsession with perfection.
Hospitality doesn’t mean you need to have a Pinterest-worthy, Instagram-able house that evokes a sense of “how do they do it all?” Rather, true hospitality evokes a sense of belonging, a vulnerability and an opening up of space to simply exist in authenticity - like Sts. Martha and Mary did.
The House of Bethany
As they continued their journey He entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him to her home. – Luke 10:38
We can imagine St. Martha running to the Lord to welcome Him and rushing about to make him feel comfortable and well fed, in the same way we do when a beloved loved one stops by unexpectedly. Likewise, we can picture St. Mary’s devotion, sitting in adoration at His feet.
Jesus loved the House of Bethany. He returned to it often-and what was it about that House of Bethany that kept bringing Him back? Likely it was the sense of Belonging and Beauty He found there, the welcome and the warmth.
Sacred Belonging isn’t just about us welcoming Jesus; by inviting Him into our hearts, we are the ones who find refuge.
There's something truly sacred about inviting someone into your home. An intimate part of ourselves, our safe space, is on display. Throughout the Scriptures, Jesus emphasizes the importance of abundant hospitality, which finds its root in self-giving vulnerability.
Do you invite Jesus into your spiritual home? Does He feel welcomed, or does He feel squeezed in, like an awkward lamp?
How to Find Belonging
Maybe you don't feel welcome in your community or perhaps you struggle with letting down your guard to invite others in. However you struggle with belonging, we can all find ourselves in one central home: the house of the Sacred Heart.
I was blessed to grow up in a house visited and treasured by five generations of my family, all dedicated to His Sacred Heart. Here’s what I discovered there: Whatever your story, no matter how painful, God has left signs and symbols along the way – clues to guide you to His Heart.
This book will teach you to spot and follow those clues, and discover your own spiritual autobiography.
