The Lord’s Supper Gospel Readings:
Insights from Father Juniper and Mother Therese
Father Juniper: Brothers and sisters,
So, if you announce yourself to go to a place and they don't want you, just don't fight against it. Bless them, and go to another village, go to another place, go to another friend, go to another family — wait for another friend, wait for another father, wait for another mother — whatever, guys. People who don't want you because of your destination, just let them be, bless them, leave them, and move on.
And the reason was to meet them. You may ask, “Oh, why did I meet them because they don't even let us in the city! They don't even want to be with us! They don't even want to be in our presence!”
The reason is, “You should bless them, and move on. And the rest is up to Me.”
Mother Therese: I also remember, like you said, I remember the Lord when He said to His disciples, “When you go to the town and they don't accept My message that you have to give, shake off the dust and go.” You know, like shake it off yourself and move on.
Father Juniper: Yes, and it's also an honor to respect their opinion. But also respect my opinion too! …That I am with the Lord, and my destination is the Lord, and my vocation is the Lord, and I am who I am in the Lord because I am with the Lord.
Please accept it. That's it.
And then you leave something already, a legacy behind, because you respect their opinion. You are not getting mad, you bless them — you leave this positive, you know. This is really good!
Mother Therese: In a sense, it makes me think, “Even if they don't accept you, you do your job and be kind to them because you represent Me.” Continual kindness!
Father Juniper: Yeah! Also, respecting other people; respect their opinion. That means not that I have to be mad at you because you don't like me, or you don't want me. It's totally fine with me because I do not need your friendship — this is also an understatement! I need the love of the Lord!
People who have not the Lord, they depend on other people, you know. They are totally addicted to the opinions of other people! And that's dangerous for sure! It is destructive!
It's good to go. It's good to be not welcome. It's good to be clear! Think about it, that’s also nice. It's a decision that they made… —That's not bad! Because you don't want to be with people who play games. Right?
But anyway, back to the message of the Gospel. It's about respect them and bless them. Then you leave a legacy behind [that is] positive, really positive! Like the Lord did! He was not rejecting them because of their opinion, He was not going to be mad at them. But the disciples wanted to call down fire on them! They took it personally! That was the problem! …And this is not good.