15TH TUESDAY HOMILY OF ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: WE NEED TO REPENT
BY: Fr. Paul Karabari
Exod 2:1-15a; Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34; Matt 11:20-24
‘For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.’
In the Gospel today (Matthew 11:20-24), we find Jesus pronouncing condemnation against the cities in which some of His most significant miracles had occurred.
Chorazin was a village about two and a half miles north of Capernaum; Bethsaida was about three miles east. They were the seats of higher schools of Jewish religion. Both of these cities were in Galilee, and both had witnessed Jesus’ ministry firsthand. They would be judged for seeing the Messiah and then rejecting Him. How tragic it had been that these cities did not seem to appreciate the opportunities they had to see and hear Christ and be saved! By contrast, the godless Gentile cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom would have repented had they seen the miracles that Jesus and His disciples had performed. Capernaum even had the privilege of having Jesus make His home there.
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Greater privileges only bring greater responsibilities and greater judgment. Corazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, in spite of their greater “light” rejected the Messiah, and today are in total ruins. Similarly, Nigerian cities and villages have churches at every street corner and Bibles in every home and will have no excuse on Judgment Day if they do not repent and believe. Does this not make us more responsible to the Lord for all the good teachings we have had? No blessing is given in vain. Everything blessing will be accounted for.
And individually, having been blessed with Time, Talent, Treasure, and good health, do we appreciate the fact that others blessed less would have done better? How committed are we to the things of God? Sometimes, there are people who would do far better than what we do should they have the opportunities we have. But it is clear here that every privilege will be accounted for.
God’s word is life-giving, and it saves us from destruction, the destruction of soul as well as body. Jesus’ anger is directed toward sin and everything that hinders us from doing the will of God. In love, He calls us to walk in his way of truth and freedom, grace and loving-kindness, justice, and holiness. Do you receive His word with faith and obedience or with doubt and indifference? GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God have mercy on us, heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ, our Lord Amen.
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