Today Jesus talks of rejection (Lk 10: 13-16). He says that who ever rejects "you" (speaking to His disciples) rejects Him, and whoever rejects Him rejects "the one who sent" Him (ie, the Father). So what is this idea of rejection on which that Jesus focuses ? What is it that could cause us to "reject" God? I think we make a mistake if we look at the idea of rejection only as a direct, affirmative act. Yes, it is true that we can reject someone very clearly and positively. "I hate you and want nothing more to do with you," we might say, and that would certainly be a form of rejection. But we don't often do that, do we? How often are we that direct and confrontational? Doing that takes a lot of energy and exposes us to risks. It lets the other person see what we're thinking and feeling. Moreover, it isn't necessary. No, most of the time rejection is a more-quiet, passive thing. We stop being interested in another. We don't return calls or texts of other messages. We go "radio silent" or "ghost" the other. Pretty soon we stop thinking about the other at all. We literally don't care about the other. That's why they say that the opposite of love isn't hate. It is indifference. That can be how we reject God as well. Not with a big, bold gesture, but with a gradual fading away. We stop going to Mass. We find it uncomfortable to hang around believers, and slowly choose a new group of friends. We don't read the scriptures. And pretty soon, we are indifferent to Jesus and His disciples. It doesn't happen over night, and there is no one day when a decision to reject Jesus and all He stands for is made. But in some ways that kind of rejection is the worst, because it can be invisible to us. So watch out for it. Stay focused on Jesus. Keep Him in mind as you would someone you love. Pay attention to Him. Indifference can be a terrible thing.