Then the King will will say to those on his right hand, "
Come, you whom my father has blessed, take as your 
heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation 
of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me drink,
I was thirst and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you 
made me welcome...In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this
to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."  

Matthew 25:34-35, 40

At first the word "hospitality" might evoke the image of a soft sweet kindness, tea parties, bland conversations and a general atmosphere of coziness.  Probably this has its good reasons since in our culture the concept of hospitality has lost much of its power and is often used in circles where we are more prone to expect a watered down piety than a serious search for an authentic Christian spirituality.  But still, if there is any concept worth restoring to its 
original depth and evocative potential, it is the concept of hospitality.  It is one of the richest biblical terms that can deepen and broaden our insight in our relationships to our fellow human beings.  Old and New Testament stories not only show how serious our obligation is to welcome the stranger in our home, but they also tell us that guests are carrying precious gifts with them, which they are eager to reveal to a receptive host.  When Abraham received three strangers at Mamre and offered them water, bread, and a fine tender calf, they revealed 
themselves to him as the Lord announcing that Sarah his wife would give birth to a son (Genesis 18:1-15).