‎[Greek] ξένος (xenos), [Latin] hospes, [Latin] peregrinus, [French] pilgerin

‎[Greek]  ξένος (xenos), [Latin] hospes, [Latin] peregrinus, [Latin] pilgerin: a host, a guest, a stranger, one who shows hospitality, a strange thing, one receives and entertains, a foreigner, an alien, foreign, strange; Act.17:18, Heb.13:9, 1Pet.4:12, Rom.16:23, Mt.25:35, Act.17:21, Heb.11:13,  3 Jn. 5

Remnant of a hospitium (lodging place) in Pompeii

Background Information:

Dynamic meaning of hospitality:

1. This term means both host and stranger (foreigner), depending on one’s perspective and location.
2. Over time a custom of hospitality evolved to cultivate, stabilize, and strengthen this dynamic relationship.
3. Hospitality and friendship became a better way to “control” this relationship.
4. A social code of conduct emerged in that the host had the duty and obligation to provide hospitality.
5. In state functions, a proxenos essentially functioned as an ambassador providing hospitality to foreign officials.

Greek culture:

1. The Greeks were one of the earliest cultures who championed the idea of protecting and respecting the alien.
2. The Greeks believed that the stranger stood under the protection of the gods.
3. It was believed that strangers could be gods or goddesses in disguise.
4. Large numbers of aliens resided in Athens throughout history. Acts 17:2 provides evidence of this cultural value.
5. Increasing commerce produced increasing numbers of pilgrimages to the temples. Hospices and hostelries were built to provide rest and lodging for these pilgrims.
6. The first hosteltries (inns) were located in the shadows of the temples. This practice later continued with the building on inns and hospices near synagogues and churches.

Roman culture:

1. Roman culture developed a more nuanced view toward hospitality. Aliens were not viewed in the same way.
2. Aliens were often viewed and treated based on their political, social, and economic status.
3. Prominent or well-to-do aliens received hospitality due to their place in society.
4. Other slaves received certain legal rights and protections in the employment of a patron.
5. Quite often these slaves were employed to provide hospitality to other Roman patrons.

Hebrew/Jewish culture:

1. The Jewish/Hebrew also held a more complicated view toward hospitality.
2. This culture had always great valued the importance of hospitality.
3. The Old Testament is filled with numerous examples of hospitality.
4. Israel viewed alien peoples and resident aliens in a more negative manner.
5. Israel has historically shown a cultural antipathy against Samaritans, Gentiles, and Christians.

Christian culture:

1. Christianity’s view also come form a pre-conceived antipathy against foreign religions.
2. Jesus command that the Christians show unrestricted and unconditional love for the stranger or alien.
3. Jesus elevates the notion of hospitality to strangers as a supreme commandment.
4. Jesus emphasizes the importance of hospitality in the parables and Beattitudes.
5. Jesus often identifies Himself with the stranger or alien.

Early Christianity:

1. As the Church was growing, hospitality was highly valued.
2. Hospitality created the need for Church organization and Church officials (deacons).
3. This organization was necessary in providing for the widows, sick, and strangers.
4. It was important that hospitality was also provided to other churches in the form of offerings.

Scripture:

Rom.16:23: “Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greats you.”

Mt.25:35: “For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Acts 17:21: “Not all the Athenians as well as the foreigners residing there used their time for nothing else but telling or hearing something new.”

Eph.2:19: “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and God’s household.”

Heb.13:9: “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.”

1Pet.4:12: “Do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you.”

Conclusion:

Xenophobia, hospitable, hospice, hospital, novelty, novel, peregrine, pilgrim, pilgrimage

I was quite surprised by the rich depth of historical and spiritual meaning that hospitality confers. There is a causal relationship between the host/guest dynamic and hospitality. This also helps to explain why Jesus greatly stressed the importance of hospitality. It also makes sense that a hospice and hospital provide for and care for the sick.

Rom.16:23: Gaius is acting as a host for Paul while in Corinth

Mt.25:35: Jesus greatly stresses the importance of hospitality. Jesus identifies Himself with the stranger and the helpless person.

Acts 17:21: This scripture illustrates that the Greeks welcomed aliens and foreigners in their culture.

Eph.2:19: Followers of Christ now become citizens of the household of God. Yet, they still remain sojourners in the world on their way to heaven.

Heb.13:9: Paul warns against receiving false teaching (doctrine) which is detrimental (cannot remove sin and impedes spiritual growth).

1Pet.4:12: Following Christ may entail struggles, persecution, and even death.

The current political climate has been recently defined by such issues as immigration, terrorism, globalism, nationalism, and xenophobia. As a result, this has created a very difficult and complicated situation in terms of responding to the concerns of hospitality.

Update: Does a nation have a right to control its borders?

A country without control over its borders has no borders at all.

What does Pope Francis say about this?

“Can borders be controlled? Yes, each country has a right to control its borders, who enters and who leaves, and countries that are in danger–of terrorism or the like–have more right to control them more…” (Interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais on Jan. 17, 2017)

What does Pope John Paul II say about a nation?

“The term ‘nation’ designates a community based in a given territory and distinguished by its culture. Catholic social doctrine holds that the family and the nation are both natural societies, not the product of mere invention.” (From John Paul II’s final book Memory and Identity)

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about the common good of a nation?

Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions,  especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obeys its laws and assist in carrying civic burdens. (CCC 2241).

What does the Catechism of the Catholic church say about the right of migration?

“The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” (CCC 2241)

What does Pope John Paul II say about a country’s obligation to accept immigrants?

“These are the right to have one’s own country; to live freely in one’s own country’ to live together with one family’ to have access to the goods necessary for a dignified life; to preserve and develop one’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage; to be recognized and treated in all circumstances according to one’s dignity as a human being. The exercise of such a right [that is, the right to immigrated to a particular country] is to be regulated, because practicing it indiscriminately may do harm and be detrimental to the common good the community that receives the migrant.” (John Paul II’s Message for the 87th World Day of Migration 2001)

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about the immigrants already in the country?

“Public authorities should see to it that the natural right be respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.” (CCC 2241)

What does Pope John Paul II say about these immigration crises?

“The challenge is to combine the welcome due to every human being, especially when in need, with a reckoning for both the local inhabitants and the new arrivals to live a dignified and peaceful life.” (John Paul II’s Message for the World Day of Peace 2001)

Update: As of now, we currently have a catastrophe in the making (on so many levels) at the southern border. When it is all said and done, a country, without control over its borders, has no borders at all. Then there is continual problem of the transport of fentanyl. While being welcoming, we need to still have better control of the border.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has publicly revealed 64 actions enacted by the Biden Administration to undermine U.S. border security.

There are Democratic representatives on record not supporting removing illegal aliens from the U.S who have killed Americans.

Democratic (progress) Manhattan district attorney Bragg refuses to charge illegal aliens who attacked police officers.