12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 20, 2010

Zech 12, 10-11; 13:1
Gal 3, 26-29
Lk 9,18-24

Aside from death in the family, two most painful experiences in life are: to be accused of something one has not done and be rejected. In my high school years, a classmate wrongly accused me of reporting his misdeed to the principal, something which I did not do. Until now, I still feel the hurt when sometimes I think about it.

Rejection, on the other hand, shows itself in many subtle forms. It could come in criticisms, for instance, in not being recognized, in being passed by or put down. Come to think of it, when one or two students of mine do not even greet me “good morning” I somehow feel bad and rejected.

Jesus suffered those two painful experiences: He was falsely accused and “rejected by the elders, the priests, and the scribes…” These are the representatives of the people chosen by God to welcome the Messiah. But when God’s son came he was not only spurned but put to death.

It is no wonder then that when I feel insecure and rejected, there is someone I could connect to; someone who will be with me, because He experienced the situation first-hand. I hope and pray that I find my basic security in him. The rest is secondary.

Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
Shrine of the Divine Word, CKMS, QC
The Word in Other Words