Rejected Jesus.

In everyone’s life, there is an event that happens or is happening now, that a person is misunderstood, no matter how hard he tries, people do not understand him, do not want to understand him. Those from whom he least expected it throw logs in his way, making his life complex and unpleasant.

Today’s Gospel is strange in that the evangelist Luke describes the rejection of Jesus in a particular Samaritan village. At the same time, Jesus rejects another with words when he offers to be his disciple: “The foxes have their hiding places, and the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Lk 9:58). And immediately afterward he says: “Follow me!”, but he refuses and says: “Lord, let me first go and bury my father” (Lk 9:58-59).

From these words, we feel a reminder of the fact that every person, without distinction, has a specific, God-given mission. Jesus, too, has a mission. He has to restore humanity to God the Father.
For the rejected good, there must come a great love that will undo the rejection. Jesus goes directly to meet suffering, death, and resurrection, first to be infamously rejected by the world, by his fellow citizens, even the apostles, then to gloriously end his pilgrimage on earth in Jerusalem with his ascension.

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus must pass through the hostile territory of the Samaritans. If the traveler confessed that he was traveling to Jerusalem, he put himself in danger. It often happened that Samaritans robbed or even killed such people. The Samaritans hated Jerusalem and everything connected with it. After Solomon’s death, they despised and rejected the Israelites, so they stopped going to the Temple in Jerusalem and offered their sacrifices in Samaria on Mount Gerizim.

Jesus does not want to reject anyone. Remember also the Samaritan woman to whom Jesus offered the water of life.
And now his messengers have returned sadly. The apostles are furious because of the rejection. Some glorify Jesus, and these Samaritans reject him. The most irritated are the sons of Zebedee – the “Sons of Thunder” – the “Boanerges,” as Jesus had already named them at their election.
They interpret this rejection as an insult to the Master, and the matter deserves to be punished. And so it occurred to them that they had recently received power from the Master to cast out devils and to work miracles. Therefore, they demand that he allow them to use this power in return for their refusal of the Samaritans. Jesus, however, rejects the zeal of the apostles. They are petty, bigoted, and earthly-minded. They are more concerned with revenge than with justice.

The first condition for a disciple of Jesus is patience with failure.
Rejected, Jesus goes away to be rejected by him. Why? Jesus leaves because there is only a momentary soulfulness in this man’s words, I will follow you wherever you go, and not the result of mature reasoning. But Jesus accepts him in the true sense of the word. He tells him so that he will understand. The one who follows him in this way quickly sobers up.

The second condition for the disciple of Jesus: is to learn to struggle with obstacles.
The life of Jesus is full of poverty and discomfort. He was driven out of Nazareth by his fellow citizens. He had no place to be born as a normal human being, but was rejected; he was born in a stable. He knows that he will be rejected by the nation and live to see the greatest disgrace of his time, namely, death on a cross. And now, he is left, even by the hospitality of a Samaritan village.

Jesus whispers to you at this moment: With me, it is often challenging. You will not usually have a roof over your head for me; I will only offer you the same hardships I have now. You, too, may be rejected.

Jesus compares himself to the animals: ‘The foxes have their hiding places and the birds of the air their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Lk 9:58).

Consider: the disciple’s situation will not be better than the teacher’s. We don’t know how it turned out, but Jesus tells the next person: “Follow me!” (Lk. 9:59). This one, however, begs Jesus to allow him to hold his father, who has just died. Jesus does not allow him to do so, though he asks only for a reprieve of a few days. “Let the dead bury their dead. You go and proclaim the kingdom of God!” (Lk. 9:60).

We wonder what manner of ways it is that a man cannot even say goodbye to his father for the last time. After all, it is human and natural! And what about things after the funeral? Everything needs to be put in order. The bereaved mother, the siblings…
The request is legitimate, and yet Jesus refuses it. Jesus knows this one would get entangled in unnecessary worries, and he calls him elsewhere. He asks for such a sacrifice and will not tolerate any delay.
And he tells the third one to his face that he is not fit for the kingdom of God. He is not working for it. Jesus sees straight to the heart. Jesus calls and wants the one called to serve him, to share his joy and sorrow. Jesus is stern.

Did I see myself in any of the characters?
In the behavior of the Samaritans who refused to accept Jesus, are we overzealous at all those who harm the Church and want to call down death, disaster, and sickness on them? Let us not be petty; let us not be earthly-minded.
Or do we want to follow Jesus blindly?
No, Jesus does not want blind love. Jesus accepts us when we put obstacles in our way. Jesus then prepares us for the difficulties of confessing his teachings. Jesus wants our whole hearts. That’s why he calls everyone: Follow me!

Today, in this society, in this century, he wants us to be apostles, messengers of peace, truth, and the Gospel. He does not want us to look back once we have put our hands on the plow. For encouragement, let us recall the words of Jesus: “and whoever for my name’s sake forsakes … father and mother … …shall receive a hundredfold…” (Mt. 19:29).
Don’t put off your work as an apostle – when I retire, I will walk… Then you will be sick, infirm, and who will guarantee that you will live to see tomorrow, let alone old age? Nobody has the right to tell Jesus that he doesn’t feel, doesn’t want to, or doesn’t have the talent. Ask, and ye shall receive, seek, and find – the answer to these problems.

We have many examples in the Church to learn from. John Fischer was a bishop and martyr, but also Thomas Morus, a chancellor, judge, scholar, philosopher, and finally a martyr. You know the events surrounding these martyr-men of faith from the book U m m r i, b l a z o n!

Both lived during the reign of King Henry VIII of England. One was his tutor and teacher, and the other his chancellor, the chief magistrate of the land. When the king succumbed to the whims of women that ended in violent death, these two got no fear and followed Jesus faithfully. Why? Because they cared more about the honor and glory of God than the sympathy of a king who demanded public apostasy and public sin from them. They accepted Jesus. Thomas’s wife and daughter came to Thomas in prison and begged the father to sign away the king’s evil. No, he would not betray himself, his convictions. He will not reject Christ, who wants to live in his life. He can be called a “fool” by an absolute fool – King Henry VIII. For this stubbornness, he was beheaded on July 6, 1535.

We have realized, we have convinced ourselves, that the rejection of Christ is the greatest ingratitude of man and especially of the Christian, the most incredible nonsense and an insult to God. Let us be proud to be Christians and therefore accept the invitation – Follow me – even in the words of this prayer:

Lord, though all the world may not understand us, you know a loving heart. We want to apologize for the lovelessness of the world that rejects the love of Jesus. Thank you for the invitation and give us the strength to move forward without limitations, excuses, rash questions, and forceful words.