_{Holy Spirit Catholic Church}

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_{FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 28, 2007}

Some years ago, Laurence J. Peter wrote a book about inefficiency in the business world.  He called it The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong.  He sent the manuscript to McGraw-Hill.  Their publications editor rejected it, saying,
"I can foresee no commercial possibilities for such a book and consequently can offer no encouragement."

Peter sent his manuscript to 29 more publishers, and 29 more publishers rejected it.  They agreed that its market value was limited.  After 30 rejections, you'd think that Peter would give up on his manuscript.  But he didn't; he sent it out one more time…this time to William Morrow and Company.  This time, it was accepted.

And how did the book do in the market?  It sold over 8 million copies!  Not bad for a book that 30 publishers rejected as having no commercial value!  Laurence Peter's experience of rejection has been repeated over and over in history.  Consider just three other brief examples.

First, there is Abraham Lincoln, regarded by many as the greatest president in American history.  He was defeated seven times for elective offices before winning the greatest elective office of all.

Next, there is Vincent van Gogh, regarded by many as one of the greatest painters in history.  Yet he earned only $85.00 total from his paintings during his lifetime.  A century later, just one painting of his alone sold for the incredible sum of $82.5 million dollars.

Finally, there is Jesus, regarded even by non-Christian historians as the greatest person who ever lived.  Yet he was rejected not only by the people of his hometown, as we saw in today's Gospel reading, but also by the religious leaders of his time.

The point is clear.  If Lincoln, van Gogh, and Jesus had let rejection govern their lives and kept them from doing what they thought was right, our world would be incredibly impoverished today.

There's an important message contained in this for us, the followers of Jesus.  Jesus warned us against letting rejection by others keep us from doing what we think is right.  He said, "If the world hates you, realize it hated me first…No slave is greater than his master…If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." (Jn 15:18,20)  Jesus was making an important point:  Anyone who hopes to build a better world must be prepared for rejection.

And almost everyone in this church has experienced the kind of rejection that Jesus was talking about.  Take young students in high school or college.  Ask them what happens when they try to remain honest in an exam while others around them are cheating.

Ask them what happens when they try to do the right thing at a party while others around them are smoking, drinking, or being sexually active.  Ask them what happens when they speak out against pre-marital sex, artificial birth control, and abortion while others around them are defending it.  Ask them what happens when they speak out against racism and discrimination while others around them are assassinating the character of minorities.

And what is true of young people is true of older ones, also.  We've all experienced the kind of persecution and rejection that Jesus said we would.  This leads us to an all- important point.

As followers of Jesus, we can't let rejection and persecution keep us from being honest and chaste.  We can't let rejection and persecution keep us from defending the rights of the unborn and the rights of minorities.  We can't let rejection and persecution keep us from standing up for our Catholic beliefs and a moral, ethical life.

And the reason is clear.  Jesus said to us in the Sermon on the Mount:  "Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." (Mt 5:16)

Our vocation as Christians is to be the prophets of the Father in our world, just as Jesus was the prophet of the Father in his world.  This is what our Baptism and Confirmation were all about, equipping us to do the job.

To paraphrase the words of St. Paul:  "In a world of darkness, we Christians are called by God to shine like stars." (Phil 2:15)

Listen to this prayer that expresses the feelings of almost everyone who has ever tried to follow Jesus faithfully:        
 

Lord, give us your love.  For sometimes people reject us, and we are tempted to hate.

Lord, give us your strength.  For sometimes situations get tough, and we are tempted to quit.

Lord, give us your forgiveness.  For sometimes we fail to do what we should, and we need your healing.