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Radical Hospitality
Radical hospitality.
Don’t let the word 'radical' scare you. 'Radical' is usually
associated with crazy, fanatical, negative ways of being. 'Radical' people are
often the ones who we read about in the media. 'Radical' is not something most
people are. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a word with an almost ubiquitous
positive connotation. It means friendly, inclusive, welcoming and is something
that more people are than 'radical'. Radical hospitality is an idea
conceptualized by the Benedictine monks in the 5th century and is one
of the central tenants of the Rule of St. Benedict. A person who practices
radical hospitality comes with an open spirit, soul, or way of being. Radical
hospitality often is rooted in a person's faith or other deep personal
conviction.
Two years ago, which seems like a long time from my perspective as
a 21 year-old, I met Kay and Annette Fernholz, sisters who are nuns who also
farm, on a school trip with HECUA. They introduced me to the concept of radical
hospitality. Annette, one of the sister-sisters of Earthrise Farm http://earthrisefarmfoundation.org/,
said radical hospitality is "an expanding of one's parameters of
life." Expanding one's "life sensor" to beyond their own being
to include their family, friends, and neighbors. Truly treating others the
way you would want to be treated. Remember in grade school when your mom
told you to invite the kid who sat alone at lunch to join you? That is an
example of radical hospitality.
I latched onto the idea of radical hospitality after experiencing
how caring and open the sister-sisters are. Though, as usual, other life things
distracted me from the point until I started living with my grandparents this
summer. Grandma and grandpa have always been actors in my life, my family
visited often when I was growing up. They are Scandinavian. They are mild
mannered, polite, and humble, good Minnesooootans. They drink lots of coffe,
black. They grew up "back when you had to walk up-hill both ways in a
snowstorm for school." They are old, after all they are grandparents,
oh excuse me, as of this week, great-grandparents (congrats cousin!), and are
blessed to still have functioning minds and bodies. I knew they were nice
people but I had never spent enough time with them to understand just how nice. Being around them I
have witnessed the overwhelming kindness they live out each and everyday.
Visiting ailing friends, cooking meals for anyone who ever comes to visit,
serving on the board of a non-profit charity, and being incredibly active in
their congregation. I believe that if a stranger wandered up to the door they
would be fed (more than they could handle and then given some to take with
them) and offered a bed for the night. Amazing.
“So amazing, I
want to do it too!” Not so fast.
Radical hospitality can be taught and learned and practiced. But,
like anything worth learning, can never be mastered. I have encountered many
barriers to my own radically hospitable living. As a student, how much can I
really afford to give? We'd all like to donate all our money to help feed
starving people but the reality of life is we can't. How do you balance meeting
your needs while doing what is right for your neighbor? Just how far should the
parameters of life extend? Hypocrisy exists in a life that is centered around
one individual, imagine the problems of incorporating just the nearest 20
people to you or your entire Facebook friends list. And beyond that,
realistically, it isn't smart or safe to open up your house for any stranger to
waltz in. What about free riders? People who may take advantage of someone who
shares freely.
So here I am, a
college kid, struggling to live a life as radical as my Scandinavian
grandparents.
-Eric
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