Entrusted
This Lent I have been reflecting a lot on the virtue of humility: what it truly means to be humble and to endure humiliations. What does it mean to bear wrongs patiently? At first glance, today’s readings did not resonate with me, but upon further reading I found what I was supposed to see. I try to be a good person and do the right thing. I genuinely have people’s best interests in mind, but there will always be people with ill intentions. Even without ill intentions, there are people who, through issues of their own, end up hurting us. My trusting nature can lead me like a lamb to the slaughter as the prophet Jeremiah states in the first reading.
On the other hand, my trust in God can sustain me through the times that I may be unjustly accused or wrongfully criticized. How much do I need to hold onto my pride? I think about the Passion of Jesus and his having to endure ridicule and humiliation. We do not have to take abuse lying down, but we can stand up to injustices with dignity like Jesus. In the event that there are people who think ill of us or think less of us, we can lean on God and trust in His image of us as we are. We can take refuge in God and trust in both His judgement and mercy. We do not stop trying to be good. We do not stop trying to do what is right.
In today's Gospel, which depicts events before the Passion, Jesus is already being questioned and not believed. They ask those who listen to Jesus, “Have you also been deceived?” In the times where the walk of faith may be questioned or that my belief may be scoffed at, I can remember that even Jesus was not accepted in his home as the Messiah.
Do I have the patience and forgiveness for someone who may think less of me? Is there a way I can extend grace to someone who disagrees with me?
Teresa Chu