Today's gospel makes clear that Jesus is not a weakling in his preaching. Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were towns that he visited more than a few times and were towns where he taught the people so much about the will of God. Needless to say, had there been a scribe there to record all that he taught, we would have been able to create an early catechism.
So serious were his words to the folks of these visited towns that anyone who was serious about know what God expected of him/her in their lives, they would repent. To be told that if the people in Sidon and Tyre had been given the teachings that he, Jesus, had given the three towns, there would have been genuine repentance.
We should recognize in the gospel today, Jesus' words for all of us in our towns, cities, states and nations. Imagine if the people who are non-Christians of our times were to have received all the teachings that we Christians have been given by Jesus and by the teachings of our various Christian churches how different their lives might have become.
For us there are a few questions: What meaning does the word of God have in our hearts, in our lives? How significant are other people and their goodness in our lives? How strong is our effort to accept those who are different than we are? How obvious is that acceptance in our lifestyles? The most important question for us to face and to live is this: Are we obviously men and women who accept what Jesus has taught and who make an effort to incorporate his teachings in the life we live?
