Jesus presented us with today’s parable just before He entered Jerusalem for His last time. The crowds were about to spread palms in front of Him and shout Hosanna. Shortly thereafter, He would go up to the Mount of Olives, there to weep and cry out in pain over Jerusalem and cry about the situation of Jerusalem. Then they crucified Him. We don’t like to admit it, but many times we reject God. Oh, we deny that—but in fact, we do. How many times have there been when we just could not be bothered by God. How many times does His still, inner voice call us to do something and we refuse to listen to His whispering voice within us?

The pain of rejection is horrible. That pain is made very clear and found when we take a good look at the crucifix and understand its powerful and deep message, namely our rejection of God’s love for us. That’s why there’s a human body hanging on it. It’s not an empty cross; it’s a cross loaded to the full with rejection, the worst kind of pain that any human being or even any creatures can ever experience. The crucifix presents us with God nailed and immobilized because we won’t listen to Him! There’s no defense against rejection. No words can deal with rejection. There’s nothing we can do against it—which is perhaps why Jesus stood before Pilate in utter silence. Words simply cannot deal with the reality of rejection.

So, whenever we are experiencing rejection, and when the fear of rejection is overpowering us, give some time to being alone with Christ. Come before Him in the Church; He is here for us all the time, twenty-four hours a day. He is here in the Holy Eucharist and in the Blessed Sacrament. He is here in the Church waiting for us to come and make a visit with Him. Why not pay Him a visit from time to time? When we were little, studying in the Elementary school—it was public school—even then after class got over, we would all walk to the church in lines and genuflect in front of the Holy Eucharist, and say this small prayer together:

O sacrament most Holy,

O sacrament most Divine,

All praise and all thanksgiving

Be every moment Thine

(repeat 3 times)

spending at least 2 or 3 minutes. But that was so helpful for us to make a visit at least once on a daily basis. Can we find time for this, too? Why not come to His House and spend some time with Him? He would love that—you know that. He’d love to have someone come and give him some time alone with Him, along with some words of love for Him. He knows rejection and in His infinite love and caring for us, He gives us His power to overcome rejection and know what it is to love and be loved in return. He knows how to handle all the situations of your life. He knows Joy, Happiness, and Rejection and its pains. God’s love stands over everything in this world.

Love and prayers,

Fr. Charley