Gospel Reading: Mt 11:20-24
Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum:/ Will you be exalted to heaven?/ You will go down to the netherworld./ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
REFLECTION
Woe to you
The signs that Jesus does are meant to lead people to believe in him and to reform their lives. This Jesus expects more from the towns and cities where he has performed many of his miracles. Unfortunately, these prove to be unrepentant, unmoved by what they have seen. Jesus thus calls their attention to this and warns them that if they persist in their complacency and laxity, they will experience something worse than the proverbial sinful or pagan cities of old like Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon.
Extraordinary events often make us think and reflect on their impact on us. When we witness a miraculous healing, we praise God and thank him for his show of mercy and grace. But it seems there are people who cannot appreciate or discern the importance of such things; their hearts remain unmoved, their consciences stay callous. We can thus understand Jesus’ disappointment and exasperation over the unrepentant and unbelieving cities.
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When we witness God’s show of mercy or extraordinary grace, are we moved to gratitude, repentance, and conversion?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
