By Kulandai Albert csc –
Readings: Lev 23:1,4-11,15-16, 27,34-37; Mt 13:54-58
Rejection is a common feeling we face when we do something different from the others. And it is also quite common that most of the time, we fear rejection itself. It may be from our own family or our friends. It is so powerful that sometimes it brings a great impact on our life.
Today in the gospel, we hear about the rejection of Jesus at Nazareth. He was rejected not because he committed any sin but because his family members were known in the village. The expectation of messiah was from a royal line and not as an ordinary person. So, there is a conflict in the thinking of people about the messiah.
Most of the time, my thinking and expectations of other people are high and different from what they really are. Because of these conflicts in my mind, I tend to reject other’s ideas and keep them far away. This brings rejection, and breaks relationships among one another, which has affected my life and brought negative impact on my behaviour. When Jesus was rejected by his own people, he accepted them humbly as they were, though he stated that
prophets were not accepted by people in their own hometown.
So, today Jesus invites me to accept others as they are, in any given situation, so that I can have a good life with peace of mind and good understanding with others.