Hostility to Hospitality

Henri Nouwen, in his book "Reaching Out" suggests that 

one of the main movements in the spiritual life

is the "movement by which our hostilities can be converted into hospitality"

I have thought a lot about the recent events in Connecticut

And I have decided, when thinking about it all

That hostility marks our age

It was hostility, a sense that one is surrounded by enemies

That, perhaps, drove Adam's mother to gather weapons

Hostility, that kept the mother and son isolated and alone

Hostility that drove Adam to his act of terror

Perhaps he felt he needed, for some reason to do the most horrendous thing possible

kill children.

I think of Herod, when I think of this.  This man who would be king 

who feared the enemy

who feared the child who might take away his power

and so murdered the innocents of Bethlehem

But I have been stuck just as powerfully by the hostility of 

those who are for guns

and those who are against guns

those who name call

and batter and abuse each others in the comment sections on the internet

so much violence

so much hate

us, them

the enemy

what if

what if

what if

we could transform the hostility into hospitality?

what if, sure of our ground

sure that we stand on holy ground

in the presence of the sacred

what if we could offer

if we could create

as people filled with god

and those oozing the sacred

in the form of hope, peace, joy and love

what if we could create "a free and friendly space"

a place where others could lay down their hostility

a place where light overwhelms the darkness of 

fear and hate

and banishes loneliness

what if.....

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"Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy.  Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place.  It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.  It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are not alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment.  It is no an educated intimidation with good books, good stories and good works, but the liberation of fearful hearts so that words can find roots and bear ample fruit.  it is not a method of making our God and our way into the criteria of happiness, but the opening of an opportunity to others to find their God and their way.  The paradox of hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness.  Not a fearful emptiness but a friendly emptiness where strangers can enter and discover themselves as created free.  Free to sing their own songs, speak their own languages, dance their own dance...."   (Henri Nouwen,  "Reaching Out'  pp.71,72)