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Bonaventure’s Commentary on Luke’s Gospel Thirty Days of Reflection and Prayer 54 Day Twenty-four: Read and meditate on Luke 19:1-10 Luke 19:6: “And Zacchaeus made haste and came down and welcomed him joyfully.” Bonaventure tells us: Not only does Zacchaeus offer hospitality swiftly, but he also does so joyfully. Such a ready disposition is especially necessary. 1 Peter 4:8-9 states: “Above all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves…. Be hospitable to one another without murmuring.” Hebrews 13:1-2 reads:“Let brotherly love abide among you, and do not forget hospitality. For by this some have been acceptable, having offered hospitality to angels.” For this reason holy Job said: “The stranger did not remain outside. My door was open to the traveler” (31:32). And this should take place, for whoever welcomes the members of Christ, also welcomes Christ himself. Matthew 25:35 has: “I was a stranger, and you took me in.” And afterwards to those asking when they did these things, he answers: “What you did to one of my least, you did to me.” So Zacchaeus also was saved through this hospitality. In a similar way, too, Lot was rescued from the Sodomites by the angels who had been received with hospitality, as Genesis 19:113 says. And likewise, the Sunamite woman was rescued by Elisha, whom she received hospitably. She gave birth to a child, although she had been sterile. And afterwards her son was resuscitated from the dead, as 2 Kings 4:8-37 narrates. And the woman of Zarephath, by welcoming Elijah, escaped the danger of famine, as 1 Kings 17:7-24 says. And universally , those who were hospitable obtained divine grace, for, as it is said in Deuteronomy 10:18: “The Lord loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing.” Proverbs 19:17 reads: “The person who has mercy on the poor is lending to the Lord.” 55 Reflection Recently Brendan Bryne, S.J. published a book with the title The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke’s Gospel. From chapter one to chapter twenty-four Luke talks about hospitality. Zechariah sings in his Benedictus that “God has visited and wrought redemption for his people.” Jesus, Mary, and Joseph receive no hospitality at Jesus’ birth. The Good Samaritan offers exceptional hospitality to an injured foreigner . The converted toll collector Levi is most hospitable towards Jesus and honors him with a banquet. The Pharisee Simon violates the rules of hospitality. Christian missionaries are dependent upon the hospitality such as Martha and Mary showed Jesus. In Luke 14 Jesus commands people to extend the list of those invited to hospitality by including those at the margins of society. At the Last Supper Jesus extends hospitality to present and future disciples. In the final chapter of Luke the two disciples on the way to Emmaus recognize the risen Lord in the breaking of the bread because they have first shown him hospitality. Bonaventure does not miss this theme and underscores it in the powerful story of the diminutive Zacchaeus who quickly and generously offers hospitality to the traveling teacher Jesus. Zacchaeus hears Jesus merciful words: “Today salvation has come to this house, since Zacchaeus, too, is a child of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Prayer Lord Jesus, you, like those you sent out in your name, were subject to the vagaries of human hospitality and generosity . Help me to open my mind and heart to those in need of hospitality. Help me especially to open my heart to you when you stand at its door and knock asking to come in. May I not be too busy with myself and my stuff that I miss the comfort and challenge of your visit. ...

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