If you were a resident of Chorazin, Bethsiada or Capernaum, what would you do after hearing these words of Jesus? Baruch 1,15-22; Ecclesiastes 38,1.12-21; 40,3-5; Lk 10,13-16

Immediately after the Mission Discourse to the seventy-two (10,1-12), Luke has added the sayings on the woes against Chorazin , Bethsaida and Capernaum (10,13-15). The reason why the woe is pronounced on them is because they did not repent even after seeing the deeds of power that were wrought in their towns. The people of even Tyre and Sidon, which were condemned in Isaiah 23,1-18, would have repented if the same deeds had been done in their towns. Therefore the judgement on Chorazin and Bethsaida will be all the more severe. In Luke, Jesus had done a number of deeds of power in Capernaum (4,23.31-41), and still there was no repentance in the hearts of the people. Capernaum will not be exalted, but will be brought down to Hades. The last verse of this section (10,16) confers on the disciples the authority of Jesus himself. The authority of the disciples who are sent by Jesus is the same as the authority of Jesus himself.

Miracles take place every day if only we open our eyes to see. When a child is born, when a tree comes out if flower, when it rains, when a bird sins, when a person reaches out selflessly with a kind word or deed, miracles happen. We need to stop looking for miracles only in the spectacular and extraordinary and realise that they happen at every moment of every day.