He condemns the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida for refusing to accept his message.

They were too proud and sure of themselves to accept they needed to repent and change their ways.

 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 7:1-9

When Ahaz son of Jotham,

The son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, laid siege to Jerusalem but they were unable to capture it.

When the news reached the house of David, “Aram’s troops are encamped in Ephraim,” the heart of the king and the hearts of the people trembled as the trees of the forest tremble before the wind.

Yahweh then said to Isaiah: “Go with your son A-remnant-will-return, and meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washer­man’s Field.

 Say to him, Stay calm and fear not; do not lose courage before these two stumps of smoldering fire­brands – the fierce anger of Rezin the Aramean and the blazing fury of the son of Remaliah. You know that   Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted against Judah, saying:  Let us in­vade and scare it, let us seize it and put the son of Tabeel king over it. But the Lord Yahweh says:

It shall not be so, it shall not come to pass. For Damascus is only the head of Aram and Rezin the lord of Damascus.  Samaria is only the head of Ephraim and Remaliah’s son is only the lord of Samaria.  Within fifty-six years,

Ephraim will be shattered and will no longer be a people. But if you do not stand firm in faith, you, too, will not stand at all.”

 

Ps 48:2-3a, 3b-4,5-6, 7-8

God upholds his city forever.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 11:20-24

 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles, because the people there did not change their ways,   “Alas for you Chorazin and Beth­sai­da! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the peo­ple there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.   

But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more bearable on the day of judgment than for you.   And you, Caper­naum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead! For if the miracles which were performed in you had taken place in So­dom, it would still be there today!  But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

 

 Gospel Reflection：

Failures in Ministry

Of late, it has been saddening to hear of stories of suicide by priests. Several causal factors are pointed out. The scandal of sexual abuse has burdened the hearts of many honest priests; they find themselves viewed with mistrust due to the failures of some priests.

Another reason is the growing secularism in the world, especially in highly economically developed nations, where the priests find their ministry having no visible impact. But they shouldn’t lose heart: Was Jesus successful in his ministry?

Today’s gospel is proof that even the Son of God himself failed in touching the hearts of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum! He would even shed tears for Jerusalem (LK.19:41-44). But what must inspire priests and religious is that these setbacks did not deter Christ from his Father-given mission. As St. Teresa of Kolkata reminded us, “we are called not to be successful, but to be faithful.” In God’s time, the ministry will bear fruit.