Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 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.”
Faith in Action
1. Reproach. God is demanding but we mustn’t forget all He gives to us. He expects us to remember that and it’s something you and I struggle with. How many people promised to go to Mass every Sunday if their country won a football cup or the like, only to stop coming after the fourth service, forgetting their vow? Or how many thanked God for helping them through a difficult situation, but have already forgotten? I even recall someone saying to me, “Pray, Father, so I can win this lawsuit. I’ll give half of the money I obtain to the Church.” My answer was simple and strightforward, “If you don’t contribute a little now, you’ll help even less when you have a lot.” Sometimes, we lack memory of everything God has done and continues to do for us. We even forget our own words and promises.
2. Conversion. The miracles and events that happen in life—in your life—are meant to prompt change within us, to help us realize there’s always something to change and something to improve. You can’t be static, motionless, stuck in the same old ways, nor can you demand that Christ make everything conform to your plan. There are things we need to examine and alter because life doesn’t revolve around us. Instead, we should focus on what we can contribute to this life and how Christ can contribute to our experience.
3. Judgment. We often focus on what we lack instead of what we have! Many times, you worry about things that might never even happen, allowing yourself to become bitter over unnecessary concerns and creating needs in your life that aren’t truly there. We all need to learn—and I include myself here—that life is a one-way journey. The key is to truly live it, rather than constantly plan and re-plan every moment.
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
