Are we a Welcoming Church?

AMDG
May 11, 2021
2 min read

Updated: May 11, 2021

"What does welcoming mean?

By definition, a welcoming church graciously receives its people in a kindly way. To welcome someone is an act of charity, and therefore it is beneficence that has a legitimate place in the life of the Church.

Jesus’ idea of welcome is not a banal greeting, but a genuine interpersonal exchange through which He initiates a relationship – and eventually, friendship – with the one called.

By extension, for the Church to be welcoming she must be active in inviting people into a personal relationship with Christ: this is the very purpose of her existence. And this relationship is more than just spiritual. It is sacramental, since the Church directly transmits God’s grace to men and women so that their relationship with Christ may be real, substantial, fruitful, and even physical through the reception of the Holy Eucharist. The Church can never be more gracious to her people than when she is giving them grace."

- David G Bonagura, Jr.

Here is a Short Story...

The Scars of Jesus Author: Unknown A widowed mother leaves her house and goes to fetch water, leaving her only child asleep. On her return, she found a large crowd around her burning house. On the inside, her son is about to die in the fire. Throwing her bowl of water on the floor, and crying, she wants to get into the burning house to look for her son. Everyone keeps saying, “You’re going to die too, the fire is very great.” Escaping from their hands, she enters the fire and wrapped her son in a blanket. The child, tight against her breast, is not touched by the fire. Mummy comes out severely burnt and is only narrowly saved; thanks to the care of the hospital, but she lives with scars and unrecognizable. Many years passed. The child, under the guidance of his mother, completed his studies, and was appointed minister. He organized a party at his villa on his appointment and invited all the dignitaries of the city and his friends. While they were at a full party, noises were heard at the door of the entrance to the villa. The son was forced to go and resolve the situation. He found that the security officers were preventing his mother from joining the party. He had not invited her but she also wanted to join the party. Faced with this situation in front of his guests, he said tenderly to his mother: “Please, Mom, I would be ashamed to have you appear before my friends. We can discuss later. “And in secret, he ordered the security services to throw out his mother because of her scars. What inspires you in this story? This woman represents Jesus Christ who sacrificed himself for you and me. Today, what place do you give him in your life? It is He who has received the scars because of you and me.