Finding Home: A Reflection on Welcome and God's Presence

by Lori Wilson

I was invited to present at a leadership camp in Esopus, New York, at a beautiful property owned by the Marist Brothers, nestled right along the Hudson River. I drove up with great anticipation, knowing I would see people I love deeply—people who have made me feel truly loved in return.

The talk I had prepared focused on the difference between giving a presentation and offering a witness talk. It was an easy invitation for me, and I decided to ask a friend to collaborate. Together, we created an interactive presentation that the young people helped build. Their insights about what should be included were remarkable. After they shared all their ideas, a young adult took on the task of organizing everything by topic.

During my time there, I shared my witness talk about this very place—the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus. I remember vividly the first day I set foot on this property. I was immediately struck by its beauty. When I got out of my car to walk in and discover where I was going and what I was supposed to do, I was met by a smiling, friendly face—someone who would become my dear friend, Matt. He opened his arms wide, gave me a bear hug, and said, "Welcome home." I immediately teared up, feeling truly welcomed in a way that touched my very soul.

That weekend was one of discovery and welcome unlike anything I had experienced before.

My recent day of giving the presentation brought all of those tender memories flooding back. I saw people I hadn't encountered in several years, yet I was greeted and welcomed as if I had been with them just yesterday. There was such warmth, gentleness, and kindness flowing freely.

What the Marist Brothers have created at this retreat center is something sacred—a place where one can feel truly seen, known, and loved by God. You are welcomed exactly as you are. There is no need to pretend to be someone you're not, no judgment to navigate—just pure delight in being present and being together.

This, for me, is what being in God's presence feels like. It's really quite wonderful.

Questions for Reflection

• When have you experienced a place or community where you felt completely welcomed and accepted just as you are?

• What does "feeling at home" mean to you spiritually? How do you recognize when you're in God's presence?

• Who in your life has been a "Matt"—someone whose welcome made you feel truly seen and loved?

• How can you create or offer a similar kind of sacred welcome to others in your daily life?

• What environments or relationships help you drop any masks and simply be your authentic self?

A Prayer of Gratitude

Loving God,

We give you thanks for the sacred spaces and holy people who help us feel at home in your presence. For places like Esopus, where beauty speaks of your creation, and for communities where welcome flows like living water.

We are grateful for the Matts in our lives—those whose open arms and warm smiles reflect your embrace. Thank you for retreat centers and gathering places where masks can fall away and hearts can rest in authenticity.

Bless all who create sanctuaries of welcome, who tend spaces where souls can breathe freely and spirits can soar. May we, too, become such places of refuge and recognition for others.

Help us carry this sense of home with us wherever we go, knowing that in you, we are always welcomed, always loved, always known completely.

Amen.