Doorway Three - Welcome: Day 1

Welcoming others shows up many times in the advent story. The most common is Elizabeth welcoming Mary into her home. Seeing Mary walking down the dusty road toward her house, I imagine Elizabeth with her arms outstretched waiting to embrace Mary. She declares, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1: 42) How unusual for a wise, elderly woman to speak such honoring and welcoming words to a young pregnant girl who had no husband. Imagine Mary's relief in hearing those words of encouragement and welcome without judgment. Her worst fears dissipated as she felt unconditional love from Elizabeth. I imagine them sitting together sipping tea while sharing their holy stories. They created a safe space for each other to wait expectantly for what was promised to them. I imagine it was a time when all hopes and fears mingled. Perhaps it was a moment when anything and everything and nothing seemed possible. In any case, we know that the encounter of welcome and being welcomed was transformative for both women as they rejoiced in each other's joys and wept with each other's sorrows.

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion! Rejoice and exalt with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord, has taken away the judgements against you.

He has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel,

the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more.

~ Zephaniah 3:14-15 (NRSV)

Welcoming others and experiencing welcome can be a very powerful, life-changing experience. Recently I was reminded of the 1987 movie Babette's Feast. Babette fled Paris seeking political asylum. Two elderly and pious sisters from a very austere sect in a remote coastal town in Denmark are asked to take Babette into their home. Babette becomes their cook the next 14 years and gains their trust making only slight improvements on their bland food. The dying religious group viewed all earthly pleasures with suspicion and did not want to do anything that distracted them from God.

Babette wins the lottery in Paris. Rather than returning to her home community and lifestyle as a famous French chef, she spends her entire winnings to buy, prepare and serve an exotic French dinner for the sisters and the congregation in celebration of their founding father's 100th birthday. The meal is an outpouring of Babette's appreciation for this welcoming congregation. Babette's lavish gift breaks down distrust and superstitions among the members. Old wrongs are forgotten, conflicts are mended, ancient loves are rekindled, and redemption settles over the welcome table. The little congregation experiences God in their midst and true joy is rekindled. They sense God rejoicing over them on this day of festival.

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.

~ Zephaniah 3:17

May we know---and create---places of welcome that help us become something other than strangers to one another and to ourselves. May we learn how to make one another at home in the world." ~ Jan Richardson

Video: Babette's Feast (trailer) you may want to take a glimpse of the feast or watch the movie this advent season.

Song: For Everyone Born (A Place at The Table) by Shirley Erena Murray song by Windemere United Church Toronto

For everyone born, a place at the table, clean water and bread, a shelter a space, a

safe place for growing, a star overhead. God will delight when we are creators of justice,

joy and peace."

Reflection:

Reflect on these stories of welcome, the song and the painting above.

• How do you welcome others into your home and faith community: Strangers, refugees, people from other cultures, homeless, unwed teens, gays, trans, persons with disabilities, people with other political views, and others? As the song states, "For everyone born, a place at the table...God will delight when we are creators of justice, joy and peace."

• What makes you feel welcomed and loved?

• Imagine God rejoicing over you with loud singing. How does it feel?

• In your busy schedule during advent, how might you take time to welcome others in your home, sit and have tea and share your life stories?

Resources:

Painting - TheArtofMariaLang - Elizabeth welcoming Mary

Wikipedia, Babette's Feast

Richardson, J. (2021) The Sanctuary Between Us: A Retreat for Women's Christmas