The events in Haiti over the last week and caused the entire Western World to focus on this tiny island nation. Already sunked into poverty, despair is a key word in describing Haiti now. Many Christians (except for Pat Robertson and other determinists) are hurrying to provide some sort of aid for the situation.
God had always been a hospitable being...in fact His grace is the utmost hospitable action in our universe. God has taken us in, so we in turn have a duty to take others in. The hospitality of God is part of His very being, one that shapes his creating, saving and sanctifying graces.
The Church and her focus on justice is part of our eschatological reality. The future vision and proleptic view that is part of eschatology focuses around the larger biblical themes of hospitality, those of host, hope and restoration. Radical hospitality is both the actions of God towards his people, and their response of care in this world and also their eschatological hope towards the world to come.
These next few days will be a look into how justice, hospitality and eschatology relate to each other.
Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be