God's gracious hospitality

Hilary was a terrific host. Her spiritual gift was, without a doubt, hospitality. Though I never had the opportunity to dine at Hilary’s table or to attend one of her fabulous functions, I still consider myself a recipient of Hilary’s gracious hospitality.

Over the last four years, I have had the privilege of sitting with Hilary here at St Clement’s when Heather brought her to church and when visiting Hilary in her room at Sunrise Senior Living. 

Hilary was, of course, in the advanced stages of dementia over the last four years. Our time together involved holding hands rather than holding a conversation, singing Hilary’s favourite hymns from YouTube videos on my phone, and running Hilary’s fingers along the embroidery of my stole as we shared communion. One of my favourite memories of Hilary was watching her smile as she received the sign of the cross marked with oil on her forehead. 

From her chair, from her bedside, Hilary hosted hymns of praise, the Eucharist, and healing prayer. She likely didn’t know or understand what was going on, at least not in the same way you or I might understand. But she sure participated in the way that God invites us to take part when it comes to holy things. Which is to say she was simply present. That’s all God really asks of us when it comes to God’s gracious hospitality in our lives, that we simply sit down and be present at the many tables, at the many fabulous functions God puts on for us. 

Hilary offered God’s gracious hospitality and received from it as well. If we were to ask what are the characteristics of God’s hospitality we need only to turn to Psalm 90, which Gillian selected for today’s service or to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, which Brianna read. God’s hospitality is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. God’s hospitality is a place of refuge. 

Hilary knew these characteristics well. She was a mother, raising two daughters even while grieving the death of her husband. She was Deeva to four beautiful grandchildren and devoted mother-in-law. When she sensed God’s call to offer her gifts in parish ministry, Hilary did so with aplomb: baking bread for communion—weekly, hanging the altar frontals and arranging the flowers, looking after the church’s building and maintenance, and serving in church governance.

And now, as she is laid to rest, donations made in Hilary’s memory to the North Shore Women’s Centre will go towards food security programs enabling struggling mothers, grandmothers, daughters and granddaughters to offer hospitality from their own tables. 

So, today we commend Hilary to God’s gracious hospitality, to the dwelling-place God has prepared especially for her, where there is no more sorrow, no more pain, only life everlasting. Amen.