TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

20170201 TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15 ©

In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.

  Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; but do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will grow strong again.

  Always be wanting peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a whole community.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 102(103):1-2,13-14,17-18 ©

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

  all my being, bless his holy name.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

  and never forget all his blessings.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

As a father has compassion on his sons,

  the Lord has pity on those who fear him;

for he knows of what we are made,

  he remembers that we are dust.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting

  upon those who hold him in fear;

his justice reaches out to children’s children

  when they keep his covenant in truth.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Or

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:1-6 ©

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ HEB 12:4-15; PS 102:1-2,13-14,17-18; MARK 6:1-6   ]

In the gospel, we read the shock Jesus received upon returning to His hometown.  “Most of them were astonished when they heard him.”  From being astonished, it led to disbelief and rejection. They said, “What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?”  In a terse and heartbreaking remark, the evangelist wrote, “And they would not accept him.”

Indeed, this is often the reality of life.  We should not be surprised as Jesus said, “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house.”  Those supposedly closest to us, whether they are family members or colleagues, are often our greatest enemies and wet blankets.  They cannot see the good in us but only our faults.  Instead of supporting us, they are always putting us down for whatever initiatives we take.  They oppose us in whatever good we try to do. We receive nothing but discouragement and sometimes even slander.  This explains why many children lose confidence in their studies because no matter how hard they try, their parents would criticize them and ridule their efforts, destroying their confidence and self-esteem.  So too in the office as well!  Instead of affirming our fellow colleagues, we pass disparaging remarks, make them feel small or inadequate.  Isn’t this the way the relatives of Jesus said as well?   “Where did the man get all this?”

The tragedy is that often those rejected by us are happily welcomed by others.  That is why we prefer to be with those who love us and support us.  When husbands and wives keep putting each other down, they do not realize that they are killing the love between them and indirectly forcing the other partner to seek consolation and support elsewhere.  Children too, when they do not find acceptance at home, would prefer to hang out with their friends instead of being  at home in a hostile environment.  Indeed, if you find someone who does not like to be at home, most likely there is no real home but simply a house.  A home is where you expect support, encouragement, understanding, compassion, consolation and love.

Likewise in our parishes, how often have we had good laity who are professionals and doing well in life offering to devote their time to serving God, only to find discouragement and rejection? In so doing, the Church ends up losing valuable resources to other organisations and institutions, including NGOs and non-Catholic or non-Christian entities, that appreciate them more.   We have lost the services of many talented Catholics in our churches because we fail to appreciate them and value their services.  The irony is that many of them are now doing very well in the world, serving the poor.

What is the reason?  Clearly, most of the time when we find ourselves unable to welcome the prophets in our lives, it has to do with insecurity and self-interest.  The relatives of Jesus were jealous of Him.   They could not accept that someone who was living with them and once under their authority could now speak in such an authoritative manner.  The scribes and Pharisees also opposed Jesus later in His ministry because they found Jesus a threat to their status quo, their position in society and most of all, they did not like what Jesus said because they felt embarrassed by the truth of His words.  They were all out to remove Jesus as He was a nuisance and an obstacle to their comfort and interests.

We too behave exactly the same way.  This explains why most people have difficulty with those in authority.  They are too proud to obey.  They want things to be done their way, and according to their whims and fancies.  They do not want to be told what to do.  When their vested interests are compromised, they will fight back to retain their status quo.  This is what Pope Francis often warns us; that worldliness has crept into the Church as well.  Even within the Church, there is an unconscious ambition for fame, power, attention, security and comfort. The zeal for the spread of the gospel is often lacking so much so that it is in danger of becoming just another institution that affords security with all the material and emotional benefits.

So if we do not want to lose the assistance and services of our fellow Catholics, we must welcome them.  We must not see others who have talent or fresh ideas as working against us.  More often than not, we react out of our insecurity.  The bottom line is that we do not like our cheese moved.  We want things to remain the same.  We are routine people and we do not like changes.  But without the sacrifices and pain of change, no organization or church can grow.   When we are set in our own ways, just like the relatives of Jesus, we will remain stagnant, unable to receive the blessings of God.  This was what the evangelist said, “He could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”   By rejecting such talented people and their sincere good will, we are the ones to suffer in the end.  Then we should not be complaining and lamenting why we do not have enough volunteers in the Church.  The answer is simple.  They are not welcome and their professional advice and skills are not appreciated.

Conversely, when we welcome the initiatives of people, we empower them and help them to become better each day.  What people need is our confidence and trust.  When we are receptive, open and docile to their plans and visions, they will be more willing to share and to listen to us and to work collaboratively to bring their ideas to greater heights.  When they see us sincerely wanting to better their proposals and not sabotaging them, they will be more forthcoming and eager to contribute to our interests.  By placing our confidence in them, we help them to become more confident in themselves and more courageous in thinking out of the box and taking risks.

For those of us who are rejected, we should not fall into despair.  As the author in the first reading reminds us, we are sons of God.  “My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his training, for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts.  Perseverance is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons.”  We are the children of God but we need to be purified and grow in grace, in humility and faith.  “Our human fathers were training us for a short life and according to their own lights; but he does it all for our own good, so that we may share his own holiness.”   Jesus learned obedience through suffering.  It was through the rejection of His own relatives that He could be prepared to accept a wider rejection from the community.  His rejection by His own relatives and townsfolk prepared Him for the final betrayal and rejection of the apostles and those who whom He has helped.

Most of all, the author warns us not to fall into resentment and bitterness.  “Seek peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a large number.”   We must learn to forgive like Jesus and use such rejection to grow in compassion for our enemies and trust in the Lord.  Indeed, if we accept the trials of life positively, they can make us better, not bitter.  We must be brave and courageous and see everything not through our wounded eyes and bruised ego but through the mercy and compassion of God.

So let us heed the exhortation of the author of Hebrews, “any discipline is at the time a matter for grief, not joy; but later, in those who have undergone it, it bears fruit in peace and uprightness. So steady all weary hands and trembling knees and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb will not be maimed, it will get better instead.”  With a stronger prayer life, a deeper relationship with the Lord, with greater openness and perseverance in establishing dialogue with those who see us as our enemies, and by building bridges instead of walls, we will one day not just transcend our opponents but we will make them our friends.  We will use their taunts for our growth so that we can become better and more purified in love and service.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved