Today, we contemplate Jesus talking about the people of certain towns of Galilee (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum) where He had preached and performed miracles. These towns had also been a cause of great
concerned to Him. Why? The sowing had been plentiful but the harvest poor. Not even Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, could persuade them. What a mystery human freedom is! We can say “no” to God. The message of the Gospel is not imposed upon us by force; instead, it is offered to us, but we can refuse it. We can accept it or reject it. God’s respect for our freedom is total.
The language that Jesus uses when His apostolic mission was over: “Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida!” is more about suffering than condemnation. Jesus recognizes that Tyre and Sidon (pagan cities) would have taken more advantage of all the grace granted to the Galileans. But Jesus’ frustration is even bigger when He refers to Capernaum: “Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.” It was there, in Capernaum, where Peter had his home and Jesus had centered his preaching. Once again, we can perceive in these words a feeling of sadness rather than a threat. We could, just as well, say the same for many cities and persons of our time. They believe they are being exalted, but in fact, they are going down.
Today’s Gospel ends with, “whoever listens to you listens to me.” These words are a call to conversion and are full of hope. We still have time. Every day is a new opportunity to listen to the voice of God and allow God’s love to transform our hearts. Conversion happens when love removes selfishness from our life, which is a permanent unfinished task. Let us ask God to help us to follow the little way of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus who trustingly believed that her vocation was love and everyday life is transformed into an arena of holiness and a step along the path to holiness.