Google Earth Pictorial: Nativity Parish
[Download and Install Google Earth]

The last two nights I have stayed with the Salesian Fathers at the community at Nativity Parish in Washington D.C. If you have Google Earth loaded on your computer, you can view my pictorials by clicking here. Of special note is the fact that Nativity Parish is located right by the Civil War battle ground of Fort Stevens. Some of the pictures of the fort are included. I met the Salesians through a friend who works for the United States Conference of Bishops.

This is the first of the many times on this trip I will be welcomed into a home where I was not formerly a friend or a relative. They merely accepted me.  Hospitality is a notion we have gotten away from in the American culture, but one that is prominent among many others. “Welcoming the stranger.” When the Inter Faith Youth Core began their work in Chicago, they focused on Hospitality because it is a tradition that is evident in many other religions. It gave young Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Buddhists something to talk about because it is a shared value in the respective religions and it led to rich dialogue.  

It is humbling to be someone’s guest. Even more humbling when you don’t have the time to thank them because both you and they are busy doing work. I only had the privilege of speaking with my host Fr. Steve Schenck for a brief time my first night. I will forever have a good impression of him. It isn’t really that he is a saint or that the Salesian Fathers (find out more about them at their website http://www.salesians.org) walk on clouds. They are human. I’m sure if I had the chance to get to know them better I’d have a few bad things to say about them, but I don’t.

They run a wonderful parish.  It reminded me of a bible story that gets oft repeated but rarely explained. Several times in the scriptures, the Jewish people recall the greatness of a man by the name of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the mythical figure who was the King of Salem (Salem means Peac, so therefore the King of Peace) Abraham comes back from a war and gives the King 10% of his spoils and Melchizedek blesses Abraham offering up bread and wine.  

For one simple act of kindness, the descendants of Abraham have remembered Melchizedek forever. He didn’t even do that much, but kindness goes a long way when it your only impression of someone. The blessing goes “You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek of old.”

It is quite an honor to have these words said to you.  Fr. Steve Schenck well always be a priest as Melchisedech of old, because for two simple nights, he offered safety, a short meal, and a listening ear. I may never meet him again, but I don’t need to see him again to know what he taught me about kindness to others. 

So often in our lives we only get one chance to make an impression. Strangers come in and go out frequently in today’s world. If we are to be like Melchizedek, or Fr. Steve, it means knowing that this moment may be our only moment in our lives to be hospitable. How do we want to be remembered for that one moment?