Gospel: Luke
9:51-56
When the
days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to
journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they
entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would
not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the
disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call
down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they
journeyed to another village.
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Reflection:
Why did
Jesus decided to enter a Samaritan village when He knew that He would not be
welcomed there? He could just have passed by and not went there, He could have
chosen another way to avoid passing through the Samaritan territory. But He
chose to go to a place where He was not welcome.
This we
attribute with the deep desire of Jesus to build friendship and to reach-out
even to those who are hostile to Him. The Samaritans knew that Jesus was a Jew
going to Jerusalem an area that the Samaritans dislike.
What does
Jesus teach us in this gospel episode? We need to reach-out also even to those
who are not welcoming of us. We need to do this so that we could offer the
olive branch of peace and friendship to them. If they would not accept our
offer it’s up to them what is important is we do what we have to do as
followers of Jesus.
It’s not
easy to offer peace and friendship to those who do not want our friendship. And
it’s not easy to humble ourselves before others most especially before those
who dislike us. But this is the way of Jesus, Her did not only made Himself
available to those who like Him. He also offered Himself even to those who
despised Him.
Are we
willing to offer the olive branch of peace and friendship to those who dislike us? Are we
willing to reach out and humble ourselves before them? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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