Psalm Reflection: The Fourth Sunday of Easter - Cycle B

“The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.” - Psalms 118

No one likes to be rejected. 

We have an inherent desire to love and to be loved, because we are made in the image and likeness of love Himself (Genesis 1:26-17, 1 John 4:8). Rejection deeply affects our desire to be known and loved, but it can also be the motivation we need to keep going.

There have been many talented people who faced rejection in their lives because others could not see their potential:

Before Madonna became a pop star, she was reportedly fired from a Dunkin’ Donuts for squirting the jelly filling on a customer.

Stephen King’s first novel, “Carrie,” was rejected over 20 times.

Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first television job.

Steven Spielberg was rejected from film school multiple times.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, was a single mother living on welfare and was rejected by 12 publishers for the first book in her series before it was finally published in 1997. Today, the Harry Potter series has earned an estimated $7.7 billion in book sales revenue

It is hard to understand and wrestle with rejection when it happens, but God always has a plan to use it to lead to something more fruitful or fulfilling. Rejection is sometimes a sign that we are going in the wrong direction. Sometimes it means it is the wrong time. Sometimes it means that those rejecting us are in the wrong. Whatever the case may be, rejection does not need to be an end, it can also be a beginning.

The Jews of Jesus’ time expected that the Messiah would be like King David and deliver them from the oppression of Roman occupation. They did not understand or foresee that the Messiah would be a humble king who would conquer the oppression of sin by dying for us on a cross and rising from the dead. 

Jesus taught with authority and performed many signs and wonders, convincing people along the way that He truly was the Son of God. However, without these convincing pieces of evidence, not even the greatest Hebrew scripture scholar would likely have picked Jesus out of a lineup of potential Messiahs.

That did not stop the Lord.

He turned our rejection into our redemption.

He took our sin and bore it for our salvation.

The stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone.

Are you rejecting the true Jesus for your own image of Him?

Do you worship the true God or a god of your own creation?

Are you putting God in a box and only expecting Him to work in certain ways?

Do you have an image of God that you can easily understand? Because St. Augustine reminds us "If you understood him, it would not be God" (cf. CCC 230, St. Augustine, Sermo 52, 6, 16: PL 38, 360 and Sermo 117, 3, 5: PL 38, 663).

God wants to do bigger, bolder, and more incredible things in your life. God wants to use you to do things you could never even dream of doing on your own. God has a plan and purpose for your life that is bigger than your own understanding.

Do not reject Him. Do not reject His ways because they are uncomfortable. Do not doubt Him because it is difficult, because He never promised our lives would be easy. He only promised us that our lives will be eternal: eternally good for those who walk in his ways, or eternally bad for those who reject Him. He will never stop pursuing us until the very end, and He will use every rejection to try and bring us back to Him, but it is up to us.

Rejection did not stop Jesus, but it will stop us.

So, if you are holding on to attachments, anger, sin, or anything else separating you from the love of God and preventing the truth of who He is to reign over your whole life, then let go. Reject all the obstacles, doubts and distractions so Jesus Christ can become the cornerstone of your entire life.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, April 21st, 2024, which is The Fourth Sunday of Easter - Cycle B: Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29.