Are you facing rejection and criticism? You’re in good company. Jesus and His Apostles went through the same thing - Daily Bible Reflections February 5,2015

‘I LOVE YOU… F.A.D.’

“Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” – Mark 6:11

       You can’t please everybody. Neither can you make everybody believe in what you say or do. Not even if you’re as charismatic and popular as Bo Sanchez. At the Kerygma Conference 2013, Bo talked about a critic who posted online an accusation so unfair that his wife had to reply in his defense. But the guy didn’t believe her and kept up the rant.

       Bo’s calm acceptance of the situation is my most valuable takeaway from that conference. He said, “For people who believe, no explanation is necessary. For people who don’t, no explanation is acceptable. I don’t hate the guy. I’ll keep loving him — but from a distance.”

       There will always be critics in our lives, people who won’t believe us. As a writer/blogger, I’ve encountered people who nitpick on the negative. One person, who I guess couldn’t find anything else to criticize, even lambasted my grammar, which was funny because he was obviously wrong.

       Even the Apostles faced rejection. As the passage above said, the best thing to do about people who reject you is to just walk away. And say, “I love you…F.A.D. (from a distance).” Lella M. Santiago (lellams88@gmail.com)

Reflection: Are you facing rejection and criticism? You’re in good company. Jesus and His Apostles went through the same thing.

Lord, help me to keep on loving the people who reject and constantly criticize me, even if I have to do it from a distance.

St. Agatha, virgin and martyr, pray for us.