TUESDAY 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY
TIME YEAR II
Isaiah 7:1-9, Matthew 11:20-24
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS
EXPECTED
There is a cliche that to whom
much is given much is expected. Those
who have invested so much in business for example, will expect to get something
substantial out of it. Those who plant in large plots of land will also expect
a rich harvest. It could be very frustrating if you invest so much time, energy
and resources into something and it comes out to be a big disappointment.
In the gospel reading of today,
Jesus regarded the cities of Capernaum, Bethsaida and Chorazin as
disappointment because their faith was very shallow after all that he had done
there. During his time on earth, Jesus and his Apostles frequented these
cities. They preached there and worked many miracles. Jesus healed a blind man
near the pool of Bethsaida, and his multiplication of the loaves of bread was
around that area too. Capernaum is the place of Peter and Andrew his
brother, and he worked most of his
important miracles there including the healing of Peter's mother-in-law. These
miracles and the preaching of Jesus and his Apostles were enough to make these
cities pillars of faith. This was not the case. Jesus therefore was not happy,
he felt he had wasted his effort in preaching to the people of these cities.
The cities of Tyre and Sidon were
gentile cities known for their wickedness and depravity, they never heard Jesus
preach, and no miracle was worked there. Jesus therefore warned the people of
Capernaum, Bathsaida, and Chorazin that it will be tougher for them on the day
of judgement than the people of Tyre and Sidon because they have been
instructed and refused to repent. If he had done those preaching and miracles
in Tyre and Sidon, they may have repented.
The message of the gospel reading
is for us Christians of today. So much time, energy and resources have been
invested in us by God. We have been baptized, we hear the word of God everyday,
miracles are being worked in our lives every day even those we do not see many
of them and we do not even know, and above all, we receive the body and blood
of Christ. What more can we ask for?
We cannot compare ourselves with
those who have never heard about God, those who do not have opportunity to hear
the word of God daily as we do, and those who cannot receive Jesus into their
soul.
Jesus therefore expects so much
from us Christians because he has invested much in us.
May we not be a disappointment to
God on the last day. Amen.
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP
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