RBWords

     Bethsaida? Chorazin? Tyre? Sidon? Capernaum?  Maybe the last of those might ring a bell since Jesus more or less had his residence there.  The first two are near Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.  Tyre and Sidon were up north and were part of a very mixed population of Jews and non-Jews, where mixed results might be expected from the preaching.  Galilee, in general, was a "mixed bag" of ethnic populations, which was one of the reasons the Jerusalem religious authorities were suspicious of Jesus.  Peter's distinct Galilean accent was noted during the questioning in the high priest's courtyard! [Matt. 26:73]   All of these small villages were the initial focus of Jesus' ministry, but by the time the Gospel of Matthew was composed, they had come to represent any location that refused or resisted the preaching of the disciples.

 

     The frustration expressed in Jesus' reproach is understandable.  He represented a change in perspective that required a change in one's life!  There had been other so-called "messiahs' who had come to ruin at the hands of the Roman authorities.  There were also the religious scribes and Pharisees who considered themselves superior to ordinary folks.  The disciples had a tough job trying to convince the people of the value and power of faith in Jesus!  We should be glad they persevered!

 

     This perseverance stares us in the face.  Amid the secularism, consumerism and political shouting in our own society, what chance is there that our voice will be heard?  We have a wonderful message: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!  The "New Evangelization" that recent popes have emphasized starts not with convincing far-flung folks, but convincing those nearest to us.  Repentance starts at home.  Perseverance will take us out of that initial conviction and lead us to others.  AMEN.