THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIM

THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIM

Ed Milliband tried to unseat David Cameron as Prime Minister of the UK recently but the voters rejected him. You could see how hard it was for him. Rejection for a political post or for a job or a place at school – these are tough experiences. The prophets were rejected. “Go somewhere else, seer, and there you can prophesy,” Amos was told (7:12). And the Lord told Ezekiel, “I am sending you to this set of rebels; whether they listen or not they shall know there is a prophet among them” (2:5).

The most painful rejection is when it comes from your own relatives. Then where do you go? The rejection may not be harsh. It may not amount to the door being slammed in your face. But even the most subtle and silent rejection is painful. For example, someone is struggling to pay the school fees of their siblings but the family just takes it for granted and demand more and more.

Jesus was rejected by his own people in Nazareth. They played the familiarity card; “We know him. He is the carpenter, the son of Mary and his brothers and sisters are here” (Mark 6:3). And then we are told, “He could work no miracle there. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

But he did not give up even when he was finally and formally rejected by the leaders of the whole people of Israel. “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy” (Mark 14:63). And he did not give up right at the end when he was being nailed to the cross. “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

So God shows us extraordinary patience. He loves us and never gives up on us. Sometimes parents of teenage children suffer when their children “reject” them at least for a while. It can be painful for parents to wait for their children to get over their “rebellion” and continue to offer a welcome to a child who is really behaving “badly.” It is not easy to say, “He/she does not know what they are doing.” Parents are more likely to feel, “they know perfectly well what they are doing!” 

There is much rejection today – of migrants and radicals and anyone who is different. But Jesus never rejects anyone and we who say we are his followers are called to act likewise. I always treasure the image of Jesus turning to Peter who had just denied him three times and we are told he “looked straight” at Peter (Luke 22:61). What kind of a look was that? Rejection? “You’ve failed!” Not at all. Was it a look of understanding? Much more likely. One of forgiveness and love? Definitely!

5 June 2015                                         Sunday 14 B

Ezekiel 2:2-5                                      2 Cor 12:7-10                                     Mark 6:1-6