Trees as Hosts: A Lenten Reflection

Many trees play a vital role in supporting diverse wildlife, serving as host plants for insects, fungi, birds, and other creatures by offering food, shelter, and breeding grounds.

The pawpaw tree, for instance, is the sole host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly. With the hope of attracting these beautiful butterflies, we are planting pawpaws in the food forest.

The word "host" carries an intriguing duality. Its etymology ties it to both welcome (as in hospitality) and opposition (as in hostile). Being a host doesn’t always imply a friendly relationship—consider, for example, a person hosting a disease.

One phrase captures it well: a host is someone who welcomes guests—be they enemies, strangers, or friends.

Here are some ways that trees teach us about the art of being a good host.

Trees challenge our culturally constructed notion of the “perfect host.” True hospitality involves regular interaction with others, leaving little room to curate a flawless image.

Trees serve as a reminder that hosting comes with risks. Hospitality can always be misused, yet the most gracious hosts and welcoming communities embrace this reality. They understand that they may sometimes be ‘used,’ but they choose to offer refuge regardless—accepting that no perfect solution exists.

Trees show us that hosting isn’t a choice—it’s simply part of their existence. They do not decide whether to welcome another; they just do. In the same way, hospitality is not a single act but a way of being—something cultivated over a lifetime. We do not master it in an instant; rather, we grow into it through small, daily acts of faithfulness.

Here are some questions for reflection:

• Who are you welcoming into your space?

• Who is offering you hospitality?

• What lesson from trees could help you become a more generous host?