Jesus began his ministry north of his hometown of Nazareth along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. There were many small towns and commercial centers on the northern end of the lake. Capernaum was a larger city at the time. It grew into a large commercial center as it was located at the crossroads on the northern end of the lake. Being a large, successful city, it boasted of a large, beautiful synagogue (whose ruins exist today), urban life, well educated people, a diverse population from Israel and surroundings areas, commerce, and trade. The large and beautiful synagogue shows a formal respect for their relationship with God.
This section of Matthew’s Gospel is truly dramatic as it is full of Jesus’ marvelous deeds and words. First, he starts with the powerful Sermon on the Mount. Jesus comes down from the mount and immediately begins to cure the people: the centurion’s servant, the woman with a hemorrhage, the paralyzed man, and Peter’s mother-in-law. He calms the storm on the sea and expels demons, forcing them into a herd of swine. Then he sends the twelve apostles out into the countryside with the same mission where similar marvelous deeds are associated with their preaching and actions.
After seeing all of Jesus’ mighty deeds and marvelous words, most of the sophisticated people in the towns and cities can only recognize him as a drunk, a fool, an associate of public sinners and a blasphemous man. Their education, religious piety, and culture should have prepared them for an encounter with the Savior and enabled them to recognize God’s action in their lives. Given their education and religious tradition, they should have been able to recognize the hoped for Savior. Instead, they continue on, life as usual, with no conversion.
A dedication to constant conversion is at the center of Christian life. Each day brings a new experience of God working in our lives and supporting us. It is important to be open to that experience. Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first officially recognized saint from the native Americans. Listening to the Gospel produced a change in her life. Despite many difficulties, she dedicated her life to Jesus and service to others.
Do we take time to recognize the presence and action of God in our daily lives? Does this produce a deeper dedication to our faith in us?
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.
Image: ChatGPT 07JULY26 “make an image rectangular landscape of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha”.