Tough Love
Jesus' love for people overwhelmed him that he could not resist from rebuking the people and towns which did not heed to his word. His rebuke, even with harsh punishments to those who did not accept him, was not out of anger or disappointment of rejection but out of his much love for his people, and that is why he decided to show them tough love because he knew punishment awaits them. After Jesus had performed many miracles (which were at aimed at showing the power of God and were instruments to bring people together and believe in the kingdom of God) and taught in many towns and villages, proclaiming the kingdom of God and calling for repentance people did not still believe in him they made their hearts stubborn and really hardened them and didn't repent. We see the same thing done by Israelites by deciding not to follow any of God's commandments despite delivering them from Egypt and different exiles; they were never grateful but hardened their hearts the most.
It's for this reason that in today's Gospel, Jesus rebukes Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, for hardening their hearts and for not repenting while many miracles had been done in their midst. Jesus gives them a stern warning that their punishment will not even be compared with that of Tyre and Sidon (who had corrupted God's people, Joel 4:2-3), and Sodom and Gomorrah. Chorazin and Bethsaida (where Jesus had healed a paralyzed man at the pool) were centers for higher learning of Jewish religion but unfortunately, they had not opened up for the Gospel and they lost out. Capernaum is where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and gave his Bread of Life discourse (John 6:35). Capernaum became Jesus’ hometown during his public ministry in Galilee because he loved it so much. Jesus did not just visit Capernaum, he lived there, and perhaps despite his miracles, people took him for granted.
Like many in our time, the people of Jesus' time were never touched by anything Christ had done. This is an invitation for us to evaluate ourselves: If Jesus visits our communities or our families or our villages or our workplaces, will He be compelled to rebuke us with a woe as He rebuked these towns in the Gospel? Perhaps the more emphasis would be if He visits you as an individual would He rebuke you like that? The word woe can mean misfortune, calamity, distress, sorrow, sadness, misery, grief, or wretchedness. It is as much an expression of sorrowful pity and grief as it is of dismay over the calamity and destruction which comes as a result of human folly, sin, and ignorance. It is time we repent if we are like these towns in today's Gospel for punishment also awaits us.
We might not have witnessed miracles, the way they were happening in the past, but we have been provided with every kind of Good News from the Word of God itself and from our religious leaders. There is no excuse that we don't know what to do. We know what sin is, its consequences, what brings it and above all, that sin will lead us to hell, but we still do it, and we don't even bother to repent. We have hardened our hearts and become indifferent to the word of God. Sometimes we can become so accustomed to the sacred rituals like mass that we forget a miracle is happening in front of our eyes; bread and wine are being transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ and we end up abusing. Let us endeavor brethren to welcome Jesus and his Word as warmly as possible and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence. Otherwise, prostitutes and tax collectors are getting first in the kingdom while we, the so-called Christians, are missing out (Matthew 21:31).
Reflect today on whether you need a rebuke from Jesus because of stubbornness of heart or not. What is making you have stubbornness of heart? Let us try to look deep down in our hearts and see where stubbornness to accept the Word of God and to live it dwells and the repent before Jesus rebukes us with such a tough love. Jesus’s passionate exhortation invites us to look into our hearts now, to imagine our final reckoning. This practice can be a good remedy against any inclination we have to pass judgment on others. Let us repent and believe in the Gospel and brethren, the time is now not tomorrow nor any other day but NOW.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, let me never tire in spirit or become interiorly resistant to see where your love is calling me to ask for your forgiveness. May my help and my salvation be always to lean more deeply upon your mercy and to be more spiritually aware of what in my life causes your heart sorrow. Amen.
Be blessed.
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