20260502 DEALING WITH REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL
2 May 2026, Saturday, 4th Week of Easter
First reading | Acts 13:44-52 |
Since you have rejected the word of God, we must turn to the pagans
The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said:
I have made you a light for the nations,
so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’
It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.
But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 97(98):1-4 |
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
or
Alleluia!
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
or
Alleluia!
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Rm6:9 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again.
Death has no power over him any more.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn8:31-32 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
If you make my word your home
you will indeed be my disciples,
and you will learn the truth, says the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 14:7-14 |
To have seen me is to have seen the father
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘If you know me, you know my Father too.
From this moment you know him and have seen him.’
Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’
‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him, ‘and you still do not know me?
‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,
so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?
Do you not believe
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:
it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.
You must believe me when I say
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.
I tell you most solemnly,
whoever believes in me
will perform the same works as I do myself,
he will perform even greater works,
because I am going to the Father.
Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask for anything in my name,
I will do it.’
DEALING WITH REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; John 14:7-14]
In the first reading, we hear of the opposition of the Jews against Paul and Barnabas. This was not because what they said was false or illogical, but simply because they were jealous of the influence Paul and Barnabas had over the crowd. In response, they resorted to blasphemy and attempted to contradict everything Paul proclaimed. This same pattern can be seen in the world today. When the Gospel is preached, those who are uncomfortable with its message–because it challenges their way of life–often react by raising objections to what the Church proclaims as truth.
What many in the world desire is for the Church to conform to what they do and to normalise whatever they advocate as acceptable and good. Indeed, the world opposes the Church for upholding the culture of life over the culture of death, as seen in its stance against abortion, the destruction of embryos, euthanasia, violence, the death sentence, and war. Likewise, they are not happy that the Church teaches that authentic love is found in faithful, lasting relationships in marriage, and that love is more than mere sensual or physical gratification. Yet, contemporary culture often promotes divorce, promiscuity, same-sex union, pornography, and a reduction of love to mere desire, seeking to equate lust with love.
Moreover, there are efforts to limit the spread of the Gospel, much like what the Jews did to Paul and Barnabas. They “worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory.” In a similar way, influential figures today–those with wealth, social and political influence, status and access to mass media and technology–are often mobilised to shape public opinion and normalise values that conflict with Christian teaching. Through policies, cultural narratives, entertainment and social influence, there is an attempt to redefine moral norms according to modern sensibilities. As a result, the Church is sometimes seen as an obstacle, even an adversary, when it speaks about morality.
How, then, did Paul and Barnabas respond to such rejection? They said, “We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” They were not discouraged, nor did they impose their message. Instead, they felt sorry for them, and entrusted the response to the freedom of their listeners, recognising that rejection ultimately causes them to forfeit eternal life. This should also guide our own attitude. We are called to offer the message of salvation, true freedom, and authentic love. If others choose to reject it, we do not force it upon them, but we remain faithful in our witness.
When a society becomes increasingly self-centred–focused only on personal pleasure and individual desires–it would have to face the consequences of a decadent morality. Humanity will one day destroy itself because of extreme individualism.
Therefore, rather than engaging in constant conflict, we are called to be a light to those who live in darkness and are seeking to see the light of truth and love. Instead of reacting defensively and attacking the values of the world, we should strive to radiate the truth and goodness of the Gospel. As the apostles recalled, “For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.” There are many who continue to seek truth, love, and life. Rather than focusing our energy on those who resist, we should reach out to those who are searching.
No matter how dark the world may seem, there will always be a faithful remnant–those who long for God, like the anawim, the poor of the Lord. It is to them that we are sent, to bear witness to the light that no darkness can overcome.
We must continue this mission without fear or discouragement. With the psalmist, we “sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. He has remembered his truth and love.” When the Lord closes a door, He opens another. At times, obstacles become stepping stones for further growth. Persecution in the early Church strengthened the faith of the disciples and led to the spread of the Gospel. The persecution in Jerusalem, in particular, opened the way for the proclamation of the Gospel beyond its borders and to the Gentiles.
This explains the joy of the apostles even when they were expelled. They “shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” They were not resentful. They had come to offer the Good News, and having done so, they entrusted the outcome to God. In a sense, they departed with peace, knowing they had fulfilled their mission. They did not take matters into their own hands but relied on the Holy Spirit. In the same way, we should not react defensively to those who reject the Gospel. Our task is to offer the Good News; if it is rejected, it is not we who lose, but those who turn away from the fullness of life it offers. The Gospel is never imposed–it is always given as a gift. We should even be ready to endure humiliation and opposition for its sake, trusting that God, not we, is ultimately in control.
But how can we do this unless we are in union with the Lord? This is the key to all evangelisation. If Jesus was fruitful in His ministry, it was because He never worked alone. He was always one with the Father. As He told Philip, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.” Jesus was perfectly identified with the Father–in mind and heart, in truth and in love. He did not merely represent the Father; He revealed Him. “The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe because of the works themselves.” Thus, He could say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” This was possible because He and the Father are one–distinct, yet perfectly united. Everything He said and did flowed from that union.
If we are to be effective witnesses of the Lord, we too must also be united in Jesus. This is what He said to us, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” We must share His mind and heart if we are to bear fruit for Him. While we do not reveal the Father in the same way that Jesus does, we are nonetheless called to represent Him–by imitating His works and faithfully proclaiming His message. This is why prayer is essential: we must ask in His name and seek always to glorify Him. As He promised, “Whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
Our intentions, therefore, must be pure–directed toward God’s glory, not our own. When we seek His glory, we can trust that He will answer our prayers, for the Father and the Son are one. Through Christ, we too are become one with the Father as well. Let us, then, strive to be of one mind and heart with the Lord.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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