Gospel Reading for July 15, 2025 – Matthew 11: 20-24
TOO LATE
Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! 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. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum:
Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
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Jesus must have been so exasperated with the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, who did not see the need to repent because they did not recognize his mighty deeds. The people of Tyre and Sidon practiced idolatry, those of Sodom sexual immorality. But then, the people of Tyre, Sidon and Sodom did not have that great opportunity to witness the mighty deeds of Jesus, much more, to experience the presence of the Son of God in their midst.
When we refuse to repent for our sins and insist on old ways, we are THE ONES TO LOSE. To refuse to recognize Jesus as Son of God, is to lose the great opportunity TO BE SAVED. And, the hurting thing about this is that we bring this upon ourselves. It is not God’s desire to punish us but we bring the punishment upon ourselves: ETERNAL DAMNATION. Woe to us if this ever happens to us because then, it will be TOO LATE.
Lord Jesus, teach us to live our lives well and recognize big and small graces we receive from you each day, and recognize our faults, our sins that separate us from you, so that we may repent and be reunited with you until eternity!
