Homily for Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

The warnings to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum prompt us to question the reality and purpose of miracles. The residents of these lakeside towns in northwest Galilee witnessed numerous miraculous signs and healings by Jesus but remained unmoved by His message. In response, Jesus, with prophetic anger, criticized their hardened hearts. His miracles were intended to inspire conversion, a new perspective, and lifestyle, turning people away from selfishness and toward caring for those in need. His healings demonstrated His love for suffering humanity rather than serving as a spectacle for His own glory. The healings aimed to illustrate God's desire for us to form a healthy, wholesome community.

Centuries earlier, Moses confronted Pharaoh, warning of impending plagues in Egypt. Like Jesus, Moses did not use his miraculous power for personal glory and, in fact, had to flee for his life into the desert.

Although raised in the luxury of Pharaoh's palace, Moses exhibited a strong sense of justice as a young man. His aversion to oppression and mistreatment, as well as his refusal to stand by idly when witnessing abuse, illustrate a commitment to justice that would prepare him for his role as a liberator in later years.

We, too, are called to be liberators, serving those in greatest need and assisting them in living as God's children in freedom. This is not merely a call but a responsibility that we must embrace. Let us pray, therefore, for the desire and courage to aid those in greatest need.