Lesser Festival for Ambrose, bishop, teacher of the faith, 397
Fear of rejection can haunt many of
us - whether it be by those we want to love us, those we want to impress, those
we want to like us. Rejection is often hard and cruel, usually unwanted
and can make us doubt ourselves and our abilities. The prophet Isaiah turns
this around, tells us that God has chosen us as His people, as the ones He
loves. We have not had to go to Him for acceptance, not had to impress
Him or convince Him of our abilities or greatness. Instead, God has come
to us. He has chosen to be with us, to accept us despite our faults and
fallibilities.
To be sought out, to be wanted, to be
pursued can make us feel great. In the workplace the term ‘headhunted’ is
often used to describe professional pursuit and there can be some kudos in being
the one headhunted.
Jesus ‘headhunted’ the disciples,
seeking them out and calling them by name to join Him. But Christ did not
do this to assign greatness to those called but to teach and build His
community of believers here on earth. He chose. He did not
reject. Even when the disciples started to argue amongst each other about
who is the greatest.
God does not speak empty words of
choice and acceptance. He brings it up close and personal to us through
Christ. Advent is a time to prepare but also to accept and celebrate the choice
God has made in having us as His people, a people He is willing to do anything
for to keep us close to Him – even sending His only Son to live among us and
experience rejection so that we will never be rejected again. What a
Christmas gift – to be chosen and not rejected by God!
Heather
Roy
Attribution:
Saint Ambrose in His Study, ca. 1500, Made in Palencia, Tamara, Spain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, www.metmuseum.org.
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