💖 HOMILY - JULY 18 💖

First Reading - Exodus 2:1-22

Gospel - Matthew 11:20-24

We have many opportunities in lives. The opportunities that come on our ways are to be made the best of all. However, at times we succeed to make the best of that and sometimes we do fail to do so. The readings of the days draw our attention to the spiritual opportunities that fall on our way for our spiritual growth and nourishment, when we resolutely fail in that, we can expect adverse effects of that.

The first reading mentions about Moses, who was protected and saved by God at his birth and later as well, deciphers the purpose of that given opportunity to live for the liberation of his fellow Hebrews. 

In the gospel, Jesus reminds the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum that they deserve God’s punishment because they have forgotten the responsibilities which their numerous meetings with the Messiah in their midst have laid upon them. They should have listened to the Master’s message, put that into practice, and born witness to the miracles Jesus had worked for them.

Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum: Nothing is mentioned in any of the Gospels about the “wonders” Jesus worked in these cities. Bethsaida was a fishing village on the west bank of Jordan at the northern end of the lake. Chorazin was a town one hour’s walking distance north of Capernaum. Jesus expresses holy anger and sorrowful pity from a broken heart at the irresponsible disregard and indifference these three ungrateful cities have shown to the Good News. Jesus warns them, “it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and Sidon ... and the land of Sodom” than for them, because Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom were not fortunate enough to hear Jesus and to receive the opportunitoes for conversion given to Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum.

Dear friends, privileges always carry responsibilities: 1) We are privileged to have the holy Bible, so we have the responsibility of making use of it. 2) We have the Eucharistic celebration every day in our Churches, so we have the responsibility of participating in it when we are able to do so. 3) We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so we have the responsibility of using it to be reconciled with Jesus and his Church. 4) We are blessed with having the Holy Spirit to guide the teaching authority in the Church, so we have the responsibility of studying and following the Church’s directives and teachings. 5) We have Mary, the mother of Jesus, and numerous saints as our role models, so we have the responsibility of following Jesus in their footsteps.