Do you ever feel like you are not welcome? You are not alone in that feeling. Jesus was not welcome in many places. And often, when he went to places where he was welcome, the people who did not welcome him complained. It was a classic “you can’t make everyone happy” situation. Always though, Jesus responds well. Of course, he does, he is Jesus.
Our response, when we are unwelcome, may not always be quite like that of Jesus. And that is okay, we are a work in progress on our way to holiness. Many times, in Scripture he reminds his apostles to shake the dust off, leave the place, and not to stay where they are unwelcome but go where they are welcomed.
I think there are two things we can learn from Jesus about not being welcome. First, you cannot force yourself on other people. And often, when others are not interested in you or your ideas, it may be out of their discomfort or pain rather than your message. The time for you to connect may be later. Jesus simply moved on without punishment or revenge when the Samaritan village was unwelcoming. His rebuke was for James and John who wanted to rain down fire on those who were not interested in Jesus, but Jesus did not allow it. And in my mind, I see Jesus praying for that town. Isn’t that a better response than revenge or anger?
The other point we can learn from Jesus is how to welcome others. When new people move into our neighborhood or a family joins our parish, what do we do? If a stranger appears, do we welcome or judge? Extend invitations, reach out to others, and allow them to join in at their own pace. We cannot force others to participate, we can only invite them with a welcoming attitude.
And while it may hurt when people rebuff our good intentions, be like Jesus and pray for them, waiting patiently until they come to you in their way at their own time. As you go through your day, consider how you can be more welcoming to others in the different areas of your life.
Daily Reading
Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Faustina Kowalska, virgin Reading 1 JB 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things,…
Saint of the Day
Saint Faustina Kowalska
Saint Faustina Kowalska, celebrated for her profound messages of God’s mercy, experienced mystical visions and revelations, ultimately canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1993.
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