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Late one Friday afternoon just before the Sabbath began, Jesus led the disciples into Chorazin, a town crowded in by the steep walls of a valley north of Capernaum. A full hour before sunset the hills to the west threw deep shadows over the village. It was cooler than Capernaum, thought Simon. Soon he would be home with his wife and children!
"They are tired," said the other. "They have travelled here from the desert, and by a wide détour through Nazareth, Cana, and Chorazin." "Are you one of them?" asked Simon. "I ought to know you. Haven't we been fishing together at Hamath?" "It may be that we know each other," was the somewhat roguish reply. In fact, they knew each other very well. Only Simon had become so strange.
Wo to thee Chorazin! wo to thee Bethsaida! for if the miracles which have been done in thee, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, long ago sitting in sackcloth and ashes, would they have repented. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. And thou Capernaum, which hast been lifted up to heaven, shalt be cast down to hell.
After his return he called Matthew from the receipt of customs, performed some cures, and created scandal by eating with publicans and sinners. Then he went healing and teaching through Galilee, and even journeyed to Tyre and Sidon. He chose the twelve disciples, and sent them abroad to preach the new gospel. He worked miracles in Bethsaida and Chorazin villages two or three miles from Capernaum.
In this Bethsaida was Saint Peter and Saint Andrew born. And thence, a four mile, is Chorazin. And five mile from Chorazin is the city of Kedar whereof the Psalter speaketh: ET HABITAVI CUM HABITANTIBUS KEDAR; that is for to say, 'And I have dwelled with the dwelling men in Kedar. In Chorazin shall Antichrist be born, as some men say.
Sir Lionel did not care a straw for Bethsaida or Chorazin not a straw even for Nazareth. For many reasons he wished to be well with his son. In the first place, a man whose bill is paid for him always makes some concession to the man who pays it. He should do so, at any rate; and on this point Sir Lionel was willing to be just.
There will be more blasphemy, more hatred of God, more of diabolical rebellion, more of awful sacrilege, more of vile hypocrisy in a Catholic country than anywhere else, because there is in it more of sin against light. Surely, this is just what Scripture says, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!"
And to you the word comes, 'If the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Bethsaida and Chorazin, they would have remained until this day. There are many of you here saturated with the knowledge of the gospel, who from childhood have heard it and heard it and heard it. You have lived in the light all your days. Alas!
Then the loiterings on the banks of the sacred Leontes, the journey back to Galilee, the momentary halt at Magdala, the sail past Bethsaïda, Capharnahum, Chorazin, the fording of the river, the trip to Cæsarea Philippi, the snow and gold of Hermon, the visit to Gennesareth, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and the return to Bethany.
Where little is given, little will be required. It shall be better for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for Chorazin and Bethsaida. There is no ruin without remedy, except that which a man makes for himself by abusing mercy, and throwing away proffered opportunity.
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