A Midsummer's Reflection Series

Sunday, June 7, 2026

Meditation 7: 2 Samuel 9  

This week we feature the painting “The Bedroom” by Vincent Van Gogh. It depicts Van Gogh’s iconic room in the “Yellow House” in Arles, France. He painted three versions between 1888-1889, but this was his favorite version. For Van Gogh, it represents absolute rest and peace. Notice Van Gogh’s own artwork graces the walls. The bright colors represent absolute “repose” and “sleep”. Van Gogh loved to paint scenes from everyday life, everyday living. Sometimes we take for granted objects and scenes that are right in front of us each day, but do we take notice of their importance to us?

In the meditations this week, Elisha is given a small room with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, to go and rest from his travels. It is a reminder to us that sleep and rest are forms of peacefulness. Let us not take this for granted.

-Rev. Dominic Ciriaco, D.Min.

In one of the most moving examples of hospitality in the Old Testament, we find the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9. King Saul and his son Jonathan had been killed. David now reigned as king, since he was God’s anointed. David, however, had been obedient to Saul, even when they were at odds. David desired to show love in a spirit of service to Saul’s family, because of his friendship with Jonathan, who was David’s best friend. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, was an outcast because he was lame in both of his feet.  

When David heard that Mephibosheth was still alive, he sent for him. David was intent on showing Mephibosheth “kindness”; he gave the land that had been Saul’s to Mephibosheth, and he declared that Mephibosheth would always dine at King David’s table (9:7). David’s hospitality extended to someone who was considered a family member of David’s old enemy, King Saul, who had tried to take David’s life on many occasions. Moreover, Mephibosheth was an outcast. 

David’s example of hospitality, which prefigures Jesus’, is a shining example for us, as well. Everyone who is not doing us harm—even David fled Saul when Saul was trying to harm him—whether an outcast or a close friend, should be able to find a warm welcome when they are with us. The crippled, the outcast, the foreigner, the stranger, the downtrodden—all should find in us persons who extend hospitality regardless of social status. 

Lord, help us refrain from judging others based on what is superficial, their exterior appearances or actions. Help us to be such close followers of yours that those who feel they are outcasts can find warm hospitality when they are with us.

Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ph.D. is a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Director of the St. Paul Studies Center at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He spent 15 years as a professor of theology at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. In his final year in that role, Dr. Morrow worked on the Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, writing these reflections on Scripture through a lens of hospitality. 

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