NOTES for Jo3 1:5-8

Today the apostle John speaks about the virtue of hospitality—he calls Gaius, and with him all of us, to welcome brothers and strangers in God’s name. Here he is speaking about those who set out on a journey for His name’s sake, but in essence, to welcome any person for Christ’s sake is to welcome Christ Himself. Why, strictly speaking, is this important? Is it merely a matter of “giving them food and drink and putting them to bed”? Probably not only that. To welcome someone in God’s name means letting them not only into one’s house but also into one’s heart. This is especially important for both host and guest. Through it, special and important relationships are created, and in this way too the unity of the Church is built up.