Holy Prophet Zachariah and Elisabeth, Parents of John the Baptist
Read
2 Corinthians 10:7-18; Mark 3:28-35
Misunderstanding is a tough thing to deal with. So often, when someone mischaracterizes what I’ve said or done, I feel an impulse to defend myself, to set the record straight. And to a certain degree, this makes sense – justice suggests that those around me know the truth about me, what I’ve said, what I’ve done, and what I aim to do.
But the church sometimes suggests that being misunderstood is not the greatest evil. To begin with, when we are misunderstood we are connected to Christ, who himself was misunderstood and mischaracterized, not only be the Pharisees but even by his own family. Another factor is that bearing the misunderstanding of others patiently can be a path to humility- we gradually let go of our reputation and focus on other, more important things. If I’m misunderstood today, God grant that I bear it patiently, for the sake of his kingdom, for my salvation, and for the salvation of those who misunderstand me.