“They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:19).
The major theme for this 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time focuses on the issues of rejection for being followers of Christ and encourages us to face those challenges with spiritual courage, divine peace, persistent hope, enduring charity and strong faith in God to fulfill God’s will in our lives as Jesus Christ did.
Rejection can occur in a variety of circumstances in our lives. Typically, rejection describes an instance of a person or entity pushing something or someone away or out. A person may reject, or refuse to accept, a gift, for example. As we reject someone or something we dislike or disapprove, we may also experience being rejected, not accepted by others as well, and as a result may experience the feelings of shame, sadness, grief, loneliness, abandonment, unappreciated, depression...
Most people desire social contact, appreciation and acceptance. Therefore, rejection can be a painful experience for most of us. Not many people know how to handle it appropriately, especially when rejection touches and bruises our ego. When we no longer protect our ego and get rid of our faulty expectations, when we are no longer suspicious, guarded and ashamed of ourselves for our low self-esteem, we will acknowledge reality of that instance and accept rejection more positively as a tool for our improvement and hope for a better future.
God has created us and given us many resources and talents to fulfill our mission, His divine will for the benefit of all. Despite rejection, God will be with us to help us achieve His goal.
God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topics invite us to confront people’s rejection with spiritual courage and determination to fulfil God’s will like Jesus Christ did.
Can we deal rejection with prophetic courage, hope and faith like Jesus did?