Jesus, resolved to remain faithful to his call, even unto death, “sets his face toward Jerusalem.”*
On his way he intends to pass through Samaria as Jews often do on their way to and from feast days in Jerusalem. He sends an advance team of disciples to Samaria before he is to pass through. They report back that he is not welcome there. This rejection should not have been surprising. There was a long history of animosity between Samaritans and Jews.
And yet, the disciples are incensed by this rejection and seek revenge. “Lord do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” they ask.
We too live in a time of painful divisions. Pro-choice versus pro-life. Blue versus red. We, too, are inclined to “nuke” those whose views on race, religion, immigration, taxation, climate change, and a host of other important issues are different from our own.
Like the disciples, our inclination when we’ve been wounded or rejected is to return evil for evil.
But Jesus rebukes the disciples, straight up. Other places in Luke’s gospel Jesus rebukes demons and storms, but this is the only place he rebukes his disciples. He’s understandably impatient. He senses time is running out for them to “get it.”
When will we “get” that the only response to rejection, both from without or within, both imagined or real, is love? No exceptions. As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, “…Hate cannot overcome hate, only love can do that.”
–Killian Noe, Recovery Café
- How do we “pass through” the places we experience rejection and respond from unconditional love?
- What helps us let go of the need to blast those who have blasted us, the need to reject those who have rejected us?
- How do we welcome the rejected places within ourselves?
K. Killian Noe was part of the Church of the Saviour Community in DC for 18 years before moving to Seattle where she co-founded New Creation Community and Recovery Café, a healing community for individuals suffering from homelessness, addiction and other mental health challenges. Recovery Café also operates the Recovery Café Network, helping groups across the US start Recovery Cafés.
