Turin 2024 – Stay with us

03 Nov Turin 2024 – Stay with us

We would like to share with you the part of the gospel that speaks of an invitation together with some reflections from Marina Marcolini:

The Gospel:

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

The theme of the third day of the Turin gathering was “Offer – invitation – hospitality”. The disciples hadn’t even recognized Jesus, but the night was drawing in and they offered this mysterious stranger to stay with them.

Jesus does not impose himself

• Jesus does not impose himself. He waits for a gesture, an invitation that comes from us.

Jesus offers us an opportunity to love

• The stranger was an interesting person, a good company in their journey. They wish to reciprocate with what they have, with what they can give: some company, a meal together, a safe place to sleep.
• Our God is a relational God; He wants to nourish a relationship with us.
• Jesus offers us an opportunity to love: in the gospels He repeatedly puts himself in the position of a person in need of help: the Samaritan woman at the well, or his request for companionship to the disciples during the passion night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Jesus desires our friendship, our love, our help. Our God promises salvation but comes as a little helpless child that needs to be welcome into our arms, to nurture and cuddle him.
• When we pray let’s remember to renew this invitation: I open my heart to you, come! My heart is a complete mess, I know, but you love me, come in and stay with me!

Hospitality as a Key Value of Teams

• Hospitality is a core value of Teams of Our Lady. In teams we invite and we are invited, we help and we are helped, we encourage and we are encouraged
• Father Caffarel: “a good host does not wait for someone to come knocking at his door, he will have already invited that person. Loving intuition makes it easy to know who is in need of this invitation.”
• By demonstrating hospitality toward the stranger, the disciples accomplish what St. Paul recommends in the Letter to the Hebrews: “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (Heb 13,2)

We would like to leave you with some questions that you may ponder by yourselves, during the sit-down.

• What does hospitality mean for you? Is it a pleasure or a duty?
• Is there anybody that you would like to invite, among your acquaintances? Or that needs to be invited?
• Do we feel our team is a place of welcome?
• Are we struggling to be welcoming towards specific people?

Ilaria Furlan & Pierpaolo Dondio