Memorial of Saint Patrick

Readings of the Day

On this feast day of the Patron Saint of Ireland (to learn more about the facts and myths about St. Patrick, click here) the Church gives us the option of reflecting on alternatives to the readings for the Third Tuesday of Lent.  The reading from 1 Peter is a note of encouragement to all of us doing the ministry of charity in parishes and Catholic Charities agencies around the country and in Caritas organizations around the globe.  How fitting it is, almost halfway through Lent, to receive this reassurance! 

Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

As a social worker, often concerned with promoting and maintaining professional standards, the idea that hospitality, in and of itself, is a ministry is refreshing and liberating.  We all know there’s a huge difference between having a bed and a meal and experiencing hospitality.  I started my Catholic Charities career working (and living) in a shelter for homeless women with children.  While a shelter can never be a home, it can be a place where an individual or family feels seen, heard and accepted; where a woman can let go of the ever-present stress and relax, share a story or a laugh and watch her children eat well, play and sleep in safety.  Welcome and belonging form the foundation for recovery, planning and beginning again.

The value of hospitality extends to our other services as well.  In my travels around the country I encounter receptionists, case workers, food pantry volunteers and van drivers who understand that welcoming clients with a smile, answering the phone with a pleasant voice and responding to inquiries or complaints with patience and grace help the weary and the worried experience the love of God.

Finally, when we extend hospitality to each other in the workplace, take a moment to ask about an ailing family member or pet, share a joke, a recollection or a spiritual insight, we encourage and strengthen each other on the journey. 

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace.   Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.

Jean Beil is the SVP for Programs and Services at Catholic Charities USA.  Before spending the last 15 years at national office, Jean has served in three different local Catholic Charities agencies. 

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