Not Everyone Will Like You

Reflection Date: August 31, 2026 | Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Luke 4:16-30

Children of God:
When I went to Melaka, Malaysia, a few weeks ago, I visited the former tomb of St. Francis Xavier, a place that recalls the missionary's difficult years in that historic city. 

Xavier first arrived in Malacca in 1545 and spent months preaching, teaching, hearing confessions, caring for people, and confronting abuses that weakened Christian witness. 

His work was fruitful, but he also experienced resistance from people who did not readily accept his message and reform. 

He saw that preaching the Gospel was not simply about gaining followers because some people resisted his efforts to change their lives. 

He also encountered the painful contradiction of seeing Christians whose behavior did not always support the message they professed. 

His missionary work was further complicated by the political and social realities surrounding the Portuguese settlements, where the conduct of some soldiers and officials could undermine the work of evangelization. 

Even after leaving Malacca, Xavier returned to the city several times because it remained an important crossroads for his missionary journeys in Asia. 

After his death in China, his body was initially buried on Shangchuan Island. Months later, it was moved and temporarily buried inside St. Paul's Church in Melaka in 1553 before being permanently relocated to Goa, India.

Standing there weeks ago before the place associated with his former tomb, I could not help but think about how many difficulties, disappointments, and unanswered challenges this missionary carried while passing through Malacca. 

In the gospel story of Luke, Jesus returned to Nazareth, entered the synagogue, and read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 

At first, the people admired him and were amazed at his gracious words. 

But when Jesus explained that God's saving mission reached beyond the boundaries they expected, their admiration quickly turned into anger. 

They became so offended that they drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill where they intended to throw him down. 

Yet Jesus passed through their midst and went away. 

The same people who knew Jesus as someone from their own community struggled to accept the message he proclaimed because they wanted the familiar Jesus, not the challenging Jesus.

What are our inspirations for today? 

First, telling the truth sometimes means accepting that not everyone will like what we say.

Jesus entered the synagogue and spoke words that challenged the expectations of the people who knew him. 

At first, they were impressed, but their attitude changed when they realized that his message demanded a wider understanding of God's mercy and mission. 

Jesus did not change his message simply because the crowd became uncomfortable. 

He continued to speak what he believed God was asking him to proclaim.

We experience something similar in ordinary life. 

Sometimes a friend needs to hear something difficult, a family member needs an honest reminder, a workplace needs someone to point out a problem, or a community needs someone to question an unhealthy practice. 

It is tempting to remain silent because we want to avoid conflict. 

We sometimes confuse being kind with simply telling people what they want to hear.

But genuine love does not always sound pleasant. 

There are moments when love requires honesty, courage, and clarity. 

Telling the truth sometimes means accepting that not everyone will like what we say.

Second, rejection does not automatically mean that we are on the wrong path.

The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus because his message challenged their expectations. 

They knew where he came from, and perhaps that familiarity made it even harder for them to accept the authority of his words. 

Their rejection did not prove that Jesus was wrong. 

Instead, it revealed how difficult it could be for people to accept a message that challenged their assumptions.

There are moments when we also feel rejected. 

We may be misunderstood because we choose to do what is right, criticized because we refuse to compromise our principles, or ignored because we speak about something people would rather avoid. 

Rejection can make us question ourselves, especially when we see others receiving applause for choices that we believe are wrong.

But the Gospel reminds us that approval is not the ultimate measure of faithfulness. 

Jesus continued his mission even after the people of Nazareth rejected him. 

Sometimes the most important thing is not whether everyone accepts us, but whether we remain faithful to the mission entrusted to us.

Rejection does not automatically mean that we are on the wrong path.

As we reflect, we ask ourselves: When was the last time I remained silent because I was afraid that telling the truth would make someone unhappy with me? 

Am I willing to remain faithful to what is right even when I experience criticism or rejection? Where in my life is God inviting me to speak with greater courage, love, and honesty?

Children of God:
The Gospel reminds us that truth can make people uncomfortable. 

Jesus experienced rejection precisely because he refused to limit God's message according to the expectations of his listeners. 

Sometimes the faithful choice is also the unpopular choice. 

May we learn to speak the truth without arrogance, receive criticism without immediately giving up, and continue doing good even when nobody applauds. 

And when the message makes people uncomfortable, may we have the courage to ask whether their discomfort is a sign that we are wrong or an invitation for all of us to look more deeply at the truth.