Sometimes when we feel wronged by someone, the feelings of revenge sets in. Revenge comes from feeling diminished by the person who has offended us and it goes along with the feeling of shame over the whole situation. We ask ourselves why we allowed it to happen. Most of the time, we think that retaliating would restore our dignity and self-respect. But experience show that it is an avenue to greater damage than relief. Letting go and moving on is Jesus‘ exemplary way of dealing with hurts. Letting go is a demonstration of the fact that what lies ahead of us is more important than what we are facing.
Refusal
In today‘s Gospel, we hear that the Samaritans rejected Jesus without even understanding who he was and without any offense of his. They did not reject him because of his preaching or his claims to be the son of God but simply because he was heading towards Jerusalem. That he was going to Jerusalem was offensive to the Samaritans, because they see Jesus as an ally to the Jews, who despise them. They wonder why Jesus would not worship at their Mount Gerizim. Hence, they see his focus towards Jerusalem as a let down. Little wonder they refused him passage through their town. Hurting people hurts others.
Shaking off the Dust
The disciples James and John were furious and wanted revenge. They asked Jesus to allow them to call down fire to consume people, as Elijah did in his own days (2 Kg 1, 10-12). Though Jesus has taught the disciples the attitude of letting go, they had not fully imbibed it. When he sent them out on mission, he said to them “if the people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town as a testimony“ (cf. LK 9:5). This testimony is actually meant to be an intercession on their behalf, because Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. (Jn 3:17). Whereas shaking off the dust is a testimony of intercession, calling down fire is a sign of immediate judgement, which is not only contrary to the purpose of Jesus‘ trip to Jerusalem but also an abuse of power. The power of Jesus is love.
Because he was full of love, nothing could deter him from achieving the purpose of his mission, which is salvation for all, both friends and foes. The rejection by the Samaritans is only a small sign of what he will face in Jerusalem. There he will rebuke Peter for cutting off Malchus‘ ear, asking him to put his sword back in its place, because those who draw sword, end by the sword (Matt 26:52-53). In rebuking James, John, and Peter, Jesus demonstrates meekness and humility. He realizes that his adversaries are humans and are sometimes beclouded by self-centered emotions. By letting go, Jesus allows the will of God to take precedence. The question is: How many people will still remain alive if God sent fire from heaven upon us whenever we fail to do what we should do?
Let Go of Negativity
Likewise, Jesus is patient and also determined to reach Jerusalem. There is no time to sit back recording the offense of the Samaritans. Holding on to hurt saps our energy and time. Nelson Mandela wrote “As I walked out of the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I did not leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I will still be in prison.“ Hence, when we let go of negativity, we open ourselves to new opportunities.
Letting go was Jesus‘ way of witnessing to the message of the Kingdom he preaches. St. Vincent de Paul, through his life, made people of his time understand the expression that God is love. His mission was one of loving God in his creatures especially those in need. Like St. Vincent de Paul, realizing that one day we will let go of all we possess together with our troubles, worries and self-importance, let‘s begin now to take things less personally and love more deeply especially those who hurt us.
