HOMILY BY FR. DANICHI HUI
Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary TimeIsaiah 7:1-9Psalm 48:2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6, 7-8Matthew 11:20-24

Biblical: We heard in our Gospel today Jesus reprimanding the people of the three towns close to him, Corazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Close in a sense that in these places, Jesus performed most of his miracles and mighty deeds.

Madami siyang nagawa para sa mga bayang ito, ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng iyon hindi sila nagbago. Kaya nga hindi natin masisisi si Hesus kung sumbatan niya ang mga bayan iyon, dahil kung sa mga bayan ng Tiro at Sidon niya ginawa ang mga mabubuting nagawa niya sa Corazin, Bethsaid, at Capernaum; sana nakapag bago ang mga tao doon.

Tyre and Sidon are places known for being pagans. Kaya nga hinayana na hinayana si Hesus, dahil kung sa Tiro at Sidon siya gumawa ng naraming mabubuting bagay, alam ni Hesus na napagbago niya ang mga tao doon.

Reflection: But let us understand where Jesus is coming from. Why did he reprimand (sinumbatan) these cities? Kapag ang lang tao ibinigay o ginawa ang lahat para sa isang tao at hindi ito napahalagahan, anong mararamdaman ng taong nagbigay o ginawa ang lahat? Hindi ba’t manghihinayang? Hindi ba’t nakakafrustrate?

Halimbawa, isang magulang pinag-aral ang anak sa isang magandang eskwelahan. Ibinigay ang lahat. Halos ipangutang, mairaos lang ang anak. Tapos, hindi nakatapos ang anak o hindi pinagbuti. Ano ang mararamdaman ng isang magulang?

Puwedeng magalit. Puwedeng manghinayang. Puwedeng magdamdam. Puwede ding sumbatan. Lahat ito ay posibleng maramdaman ng isang nagbigay ng lahat dahil siya ay nagmamahal.

This is where Jesus is coming from, he loves Corazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum so much that is why he did everything for them. He is just frustrated.

Biblical: But Jesus did not let his frustration or anger overpower him. Instead, before he ended. He took the opportunity to give them warning, as he said, “But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Hindi pa din na tiis ni Hesus ang mga bayang iyon na pabayaan, kaya sa huli pinagsabihan pa din niya sila na sa Araw ng Paghuhukom ay higit na mabigat ang ipaparusa sa inyo kaysa dinanas ng Sodoma.

Kung sa ating lenguahe, tila tinatakot ni Hesus ang mga bayang iyon para sila ay magbago.

Story: Today we commemorate Mary as our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It is said that a Carmelite names Simon Stock had a vision of Mary giving him a scapular and telling him that /”whoever dies wearing that scapular shall not suffer the fires of Hell./”

This is one of the many initiatives of God to save us, despite our sinfulness and hard headedness. He still keeps on doing things to save us because he loves us.

Please take the opportunity to connect and share this video with your friends and family if you find it useful.