DEVOTION CORNER

"And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me"(Mat.11:6).

What dose it mean? Our Lord did not meet the Jews' expectations. For them, Messiah would come in splendour and grandour to establish His new kingdom. But He came in poverty and humility. In vain His divinity shone with countless miracles, the signs for His mission. In their pride and blindness the Jews did not want to see and accept these signs and were scandalized at His poverty, passion and death on the Cross. That is why Our Lord rebukes them: Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. And thou Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in thee, perhaps it had remained unto this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. (Matt 11;21-24). From this comes also His blessing: "And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me"(Mat.11:6). Blessed is he who shall not be scandalized because of Our Lord external humiliations. Surely, even now there are pharisee-like, proud and haughty fools who despise the poor and suffering Christ. They ridicule His teaching, they deride and scoff at His Church and His servants, they sneer at religious observances and practices.The Apostle warns us rightly: Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy, and vain deceit; according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ (Col 2:8).
Also for those who are commited to their wordly passions, gluttony and intemperance, Our Redeemer's example is still scandalizing. Are we better than them? Let us reject and despise pride, superstition, sensuality and let us stay firmly by the Lord for: there (is no) salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.( Acts 4; 12.)