by Pam Tinsley

In the Revised Common Lectionary’s Gospel for June 28 (Matthew 10:40-42), Jesus commissions the apostles to take the Good News into the towns and villages. He then speaks of the radical welcome they might receive and its spiritual implications: “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” Radical welcome transforms both parties, those receiving hospitality, as well as those showing hospitality.

And in Jesus’ world, welcoming strangers meant welcoming everything that they represented, their tribe, their country, and their families.

This was a challenging message in Jesus’ day, and it is equally challenging today.

As hundreds of thousands of soccer fans and players attend the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Jesus’ message about radical welcome intersects with the opportunity that we, as everyday Americans, have to show hospitality to people from different countries and cultures.

I used to think of the US as welcoming and hospitable, and for decades our country was a haven for tourists from other countries. Until recently. The political climate during the past two years has left many potential visitors from other countries hesitant to travel to the United States. Tourism from around the world has plummeted sharply due to the current administration’s antagonism toward other countries, the higher cost of travel, barriers to obtaining visas, and concerns about safety – including the possibility of detention by immigration officers. The winter snowbirds from our neighbor to the north who sought sunshine and warm temperatures in California, Arizona, Florida, and beyond have stopped coming to a country they now perceive as unwelcoming – even hostile.

Yet, as many soccer fans and players from all over the world are finding, the opposite is true. They are connecting with everyday Americans in restaurants, hotels, stores, and – of course – in the soccer stadiums. Ordinary Americans offer “cups of cold water” to visitors with friendly greetings, by offering directions, or initiating conversations and sharing stories. And then through simple hospitality, a miracle happens: both parties are transformed.

And, isn’t that what the Kingdom of God is all about? The Kingdom of God isn’t just a creed or a dogma. It’s a way of living; it’s being in relationship with one another. The Kingdom is revealed in ordinary acts of kindness and generosity offered in Jesus’ name. By sharing one cup of cold water at a time, we open a window to the infinite hospitality of God’s extravagant love.

Not only that, but when we welcome others, we often find ourselves being transformed. Every act of hospitality keeps the chain of God’s grace unbroken. Little by little, through everyday acts of love, God’s kingdom becomes visible among us. And little by little, we just might break down the barriers that divide us.

Let that be our “Gooooaaal!”