This week's news

This week’s headlines have been dominated by NHS Trusts which the government has put into special measures.

 

Whilst the largest concern is about mortality rates, there is also a wider concern about the way people are treated and in a sense the hospitality they receive.

A Big Brother contestant is removed from the house for threatening and aggressive behaviour.

What can we learn both from Martha and from reports on NHS trust reports about the true nature of hospitality.

 

Reflection

A hospital should be a place of safety and security. Some of the criticisms of hospitals have been about neglect; about patients being left unattended; about patients not receiving respect and consideration.

It is not just in hospital that these should be expected. Recognising the basic humanity of all people demands concern, respect and attention.

 

Big Brother contestant Daley was evicted by the programme makers because of his unacceptable behaviour. Yet he did not seem to realise just how aggressive and threatening he had been.

 

What is it like to be on the other side of aggressive and threatening behaviour? When is the line of acceptability crossed?

The Big Brother house is a home and the home should be a place of safety and security where we offer hospitality to each other. Sometimes this goes wrong.

 

These two examples coupled with Martha in the gospel passage provide three examples of hospitality that has gone wrong. They identify the need for true hospitality to be characterised by attention, respect; honour; and a recognition of the needs of the person to whom hospitality is being shown.

 

What sort of hospitality do we offer in our homes and in our churches? Are they places of safety where people are made welcome? One of the criticisms in the Keogh review concerned the failure of systems. Do we have hospitality systems in our churches or are we simply ad hoc? Does this work or does it lead to failures.

 

A response to the Keogh report talks of the need for a culture of care. How can we create a culture of hospitality? Mary showed true deep hospitality to Jesus by honouring him with her presence; listening to him with attention and giving him time.

 

Prayer

For our lack of attention to the needs of others:
forgive us, loving God.
For our failure to listen, to honour, to respect:
forgive us, loving God.
For aggression and misuse of strength:
forgive us, loving God.
For our failure to see the humanity of our neighbour:
forgive us, loving God.

Dear Lord, you gave of yourself in generous hospitality;
may we learn of you; may we be restored in you;
may we be your welcoming disciples.
Amen.

Questions

Share examples of times that you were made to feel welcome.
What would you characterise as good hospitality?

 

Action

Try to ask at least three people how they are this week and give them an opportunity really to tell you.

 

Young People

Talk about threatening and aggressive behaviour; about how it feels to be on the other side of it and how best to respond.

 

Stuart Wilde is a Methodist Superintendant Minister in Manchester. 

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