Matthew 11:20-24

Isaiah 7:1-9

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

Matthew 11:20-24

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 nether world.

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the Lord of history and direct all things. I trust in your loving care to guide me to a good end. Enlighten my mind today to know your will and the path I need to take. Guide my decisions so that I may extend your reign in the world.

Encountering the Word of God

1. King Ahaz of Judah and the Prophet Isaiah: The First Reading introduces us to the figure of Ahaz, the eleventh King of Judah. Ahaz was a royal descendant of David, but he was a wicked and evil king who reigned over Judah for twenty years, from 736 to 716 B.C. 2 Kings 16:2-4 tells us that he went so far as to burn his son as an offering, to sacrifice to idols, and to replace the altar of the Lord with a pagan altar (2 Kings 16:10-16). During the reign of King Ahaz, King Pekah of Israel and King Rezin of Damascus (Aram) allied against the Assyrian Empire and invited Ahaz to join them. Ahaz refused and so Israel and Damascus attacked Judah with the intent of replacing Ahaz with a puppet ruler, called “the son of Tabeel,” who was someone more favorable to their enterprise (2 Kings 16:5; Isaiah 7:1). When Isaiah encountered King Ahaz, the king was debating whether or not to ask Assyria for protection. Isaiah demanded that the king not join with Assyria, as it was revealed to him that Israel and Damascus would soon be destroyed. Isaiah tells Ahaz to trust not in an alliance with Assyria, but in the Lord and ask the Lord God for a sign. Ahaz feigns piety and says that he will not ask for a sign and put the Lord to the test. The Lord gives him a sign anyway: “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Where do I place my trust: In powerful politicians, in people with wealth, in the stock market, in my retirement fund, or in the Lord?

2. The Assyrian Invasion of Israel: Despite the reassurances of Isaiah and the Immanuel sign, King Ahaz did not follow Isaiah’s counsel and appealed to Assyria for protection. He sent messengers to the Assyrian king saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up, and rescue me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel who are attacking me” (2 Kings 16:7). Realizing that Ahaz did not follow his counsel, Isaiah withdrew for a time and formed a group of disciples who would learn the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 8:11-20). King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria invaded Syria and Israel and subdued them in 732 B.C.; he killed the king of Aram and appointed a new king in Israel. He deported some of the people of Israel to the east, foreshadowing the coming exile a decade later. Although Judah survived, the kingdom had to pay an indemnity to Assyria and become its vassal. Against the background of these historical events, Isaiah foretells the day when the people, who have suffered oppression at the hands of the Assyrians, will see a great light (Isaiah 9:1-5). “The light will be revealed in the person of the true son of David, who will extend his dominion outward from Jerusalem in a reign of everlasting peace” (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 266).

3. The Invitation to Repentance: The First Reading and the Gospel both bring out the need to trust in God and believe in the one he sent, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of David. The invitations to faith are accompanied by great signs and mighty deeds. Just as King Ahaz refused to trust in God, the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum refused to believe in Jesus. The people did not repent even though they witnessed Jesus’ mighty deeds, the signs that gave witness to the authenticity and truth of his message (see John 10:38). Jesus’ mighty deeds are “works of wisdom” that show that he is the Messiah. They are manifestations of the power of God. All things were created in the beginning through the Word of God and all things are being recreated by the Incarnate Word. Jesus doesn’t want the people just to gape in awe for a moment at his deeds but rather be transformed by them in a lasting way. Recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God is the beginning of this transformation (see Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word, Vol. 1, 674).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I hear your invitation to repent and change my mindset. I seek to conform my thoughts and my will to you. I want to imitate you and share in your life to the full. Help me to see your mighty works in the Church and the world today.

Living the Word of God: Today, in the Liturgy of the Word, we hear the voice of God and learn about his Son’s mighty works. God asks us to respond to him, not by hardening our hearts, but by opening up our hearts to his grace. Unlike King Ahaz, let us fully place our trust in the Lord. Unlike the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida, let us repent and accept the Power and Wisdom of God into our lives. Unlike the people of Capernaum, among whom Jesus made his home, let us truly welcome Jesus as Messiah and Lord and allow him to reign in our hearts and homes.