When I was in my twenties, I would feel terrible whenever I’d get rejected. I submitted my writing for possible fellowship and publication, but it was not chosen. I tried my best to show my skills in dance, but other dancers would be chosen. I tried to pursue romantic relationships only to get heartbroken.

But now that I’m in my thirties, I have a greater sense of acceptance when I get rejected in small and big matters. I tell myself, “It’s OK. Maybe it’s not meant to be. Maybe next time. Or maybe God has other plans for me.” I realized that this grace comes from Jesus, who Himself experienced rejection, which led to His crucifixion on the cross. But we know how the story ended. He might have been rejected by people, but He was glorified in His resurrection and ascension into heaven. If you think you are rejected today, think ahead to the future. One day, in God’s perfect time, you will enter grace and glory—and your lips will thank Him wholeheartedly.

Kring Talladen (kringtalladen@gmail.com)

Reflect

Think of a past rejection and how God redirected you to something better. Say a prayer of thanksgiving.

Dear Jesus, I offer to You all my rejections, believing that You will lead me to Your most beautiful will. Amen.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin, pray for us.

It seems that those with power and authority in government and business can do whatever they like and get away with it. Also, it seems that no one prosecutes the unjust and corrupt officials. Yet, in the end, each one will stand before God and be judged by Him. Remember that no one’s great in His sight. Let us continue to pray for those in authority so they will respect God and His law.

²² In Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, ²³ kindly, firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, and pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. ²⁴ For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. ²⁵ For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. ²⁶ For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. ²⁷ And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; and passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. ²⁸ For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. ²⁹ For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; ³⁰ for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom. 8:1 Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175

R: Your word is forever, O Lord. 

⁸⁹ Your word, O Lord, endures forever; it is firm as the heavens. (R) ⁹⁰ Through all generations your truth endures; you have established the earth, and it stands firm. (R) ⁹¹ According to your ordinances they still stand firm, all things serve you. (R) ¹³⁰ The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple. (R) ¹³⁵ Let your countenance shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. (R) ¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live to praise you, and may your ordinances help me. (R)

Gospel | Luke 17:20-25

It is useless to focus on the signs of the Second Coming of Jesus. The signs can only help us approximate His coming. We should instead prepare ourselves as if He is coming tomorrow so that, no matter when He comes, we will be prepared to welcome Him.

Gospel Acclamation 

I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.

²⁰ Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, ²¹ and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” ²² Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. ²⁴ For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ²⁵ But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

Reflect:

What is the best way to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 46 - 50 today.

While doing doctoral studies in education, one thing I had to get used to in all my paper-writing was writing in the active voice. Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, we were taught differently (cf. passive voice): that the more scientific way of documenting our observations was to make the “I” or the “we” invisible from our findings. Instead of “We collected the data from 100 respondents,” we were taught to write, “The data was collected from 100 respondents . . .”

Today, most of the academic writing conventions (e.g., APA, Turabian, etc.) recommend the general use of the active voice. This supposedly makes writing clearer and more concise. I do not know how and when the shift occurred, but I suspect that it was spurred not only by brevity and clarity in scientific discourse, but also by the deeper recognition that we, as researchers, can never be completely dissociated from the truth that we speak and understand.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus about when the Kingdom of God would come, it was almost as if they had incarnated this passive voice in their attitude toward God’s work. They prayed and performed all their ritual customs at the temple, beseeching God for mercy, justice, peace, and liberation, but did nothing outside the temple to help realize these hopes. They prayed for the Kingdom and hoped it would magically appear before them, without lifting a finger to help make things happen.

If we are honest, we might see that, at times, we are also like the Pharisees when we forget that the Kingdom is not something we simply pray for, but that it is something we must help to build. As Pope Francis says, “You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.” 

Fr. Mark Lopez, SJ

Reflection question

What are you doing to help build the Kingdom of God right here, right now?

Lord, give me the courage to do what You want me to do for Your Kingdom. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________