How do I respond when confronted?

October 17, 2024 – Thursday 28^th Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101724.cfm)

When another person confronts me because of my mistakes and failures, how do I respond? When a friend or a colleague tells me of my weaknesses, how do I feel? When we are confronted of our wrongdoings and sins, how do we react?

Being confronted, corrected or even reminded of our failures and weaknesses may not be easy to accept and embrace. It is even more difficult when the one who does it is someone who is not superior to us. When we too feel that we are superior and above others in many ways because of our achievements, entitlement or position in the company or community, the more it becomes difficult to accept such criticisms.

Moreso, when our heart becomes arrogant, believing that we are far better than others and that our ideas, decisions and actions are superior, then criticism are almost unwelcomed. Our mind and heart will be rigid and unwelcoming and at the same time will also become vicious and violent towards those whom we believe are threats to our image and person.

We experience this even at home from own parent or sibling. The family will then feel tensed and any other voice is suppressed because of one family member who believed that he or she has the monopoly of making decisions and making actions. This also is a reality even at our workplaces, organizations or communities – civic or religious. A colleague, or co-worker, or co-member or confrere, who think highly of himself/herself finds it difficult to accept feedback. It becomes a tension as well in our relationships. This is how manipulations, violent words and actions and malice towards those who would dare to confront them will be experienced.

This is not far from what Jesus did and experience among the leaders of that time. Some of the Pharisees and scholars of the law who grew entitled and influential at that time thought and believed of their superiority and righteousness. Because of their meticulous observance of the law and superior knowledge, they thought that they were perfect enough.

Nevertheless, their hearts where filled with malice. Hence, Jesus confronted them how their actions were inconsistent with what they taught and believed. Like their forefathers, these men remained hostile towards the prophets whom God had sent in order to correct and bring them back to God. They murdered all those who confronted them of their sins and failures precisely because they did not want to be corrected.

Likewise, Jesus did again what the prophets did in the Old Testament, and in the same way, the hearts of these men were filled with malice. The Gospel reminds us that they were hostile against Jesus.

Indeed, the Lord continues to confront us not in the sense of humiliating and bringing us down, but to correct us and brings us back to the grace of God. Thus, humility and honesty are very important as well in our Christians life. To be humble and honest enough to recognize our failures, mistakes, and sins would even help make ourselves better and our relationships healthier.

Today, Jesus comes to us to confront us and the Lord does it in many ways. We are, then, called to be welcoming of others who would dare to confront, correct and give constructive feedback and criticism to us. We ask the grace from the Lord that we may be humble and honest enough.