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."
The Word in other words
A HEART OF STONE! Is that what you have? Do you have a cold and unfeeling heart? In the gospel today, Jesus expressed His disappointment with the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum for the hardness of their hearts. In these towns, Jesus performed "mighty deeds" but the people rejected His works, Jesus then compared these towns to the cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. These cities were symbols of immorality, perversion, pride, and sin. Had the people of these cities heard the works of Christ, their repentance would have been swift and profound. But the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, in spite of seeing the works of Jesus, did not repent. In the gospel, Jesus us about conversion and warns us of the danger of being repentant.
Sometimes, we are like the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida. We receive abundant blessings from God and yet we remain indifferent to His goodness. Sometimes, we are like the people of Capernaum, God makes us feel so loved like His favorite children yet we remain cold and proud. Today the gospel invites us to look into our own hearts. Do you have a heart of stone of do you need a "new heart"?
Read again the gospel for today. Recall the times when you felt like the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Ask God for the grace of conversion. As you pray, remember the words of Ezekiel 36:26: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
- Fr. Jose Honorio P. Mateo, SVD (Paraguay, South America)
