The WORD in other words (2022) by Brother Willy Vincent Iopam SVD – Divine Word College of San Jose
Tuesday 26th Week in Ordinary Time
Filipinos possess a “welcoming” culture. Quite the opposite to the Samaritans in the Gospel today when the people of the village refused to receive Jesus, who was passing through on his way to Jerusalem.
The reaction of James and John against this rejection was predictable and very human. “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus saw an opportunity to teach his followers the right reaction to such a situation: tolerance, to respect decisions of people even if they run counter to our expectations. “Jesus rebuked them…and journeyed to another village.”
Moreover, rejections should not detract us from our mission. In Jesus case, he simply tolerated the Samaritans’ decision not to welcome him and just moved on to fulfill the work that his Father gave him.
