20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
Readings: Isaiah 6:1. 6-7; Romans 11: 13-15.29-32; Matthew 15:21-28
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, before I dive into the
reflection on today’s Gospel, I like to draw your attention to the background
to today’s Gospel passage, because it will help us to understand the mission of
Jesus in the gentile land and the persistent faith of the Canaanite woman, who
came to Jesus with the request to cure her daughter from the torment of the
evil spirit.
Last Sunday we meditated, how Jesus saved Peter from drowning into
the water, and thus encouraged his disciples to have a strong faith in him. There
after the following chapter (Mt 15), tells us that Jesus faces the criticism
from the Pharisees for not observing the customs prior to eating (Mt 15:1-20).
Their interpretation of law leads Jesus into anger, as a result Jesus calls
them ‘hypocrites’ (Mt 15:7), because they had wrong notions of holiness and
also rejected the teachings of Jesus and refused to place their trust in Jesus.
The religious leaders of that time thought that holiness consisted in just
following the laws and they could not see anything beyond that either.
Today’s Gospel is the continuation from the conflicting situation
that Jesus had to face with the Pharisees. As a result, Jesus deliberately
chose to leave Gennesaret in Israel, to travel into the Gentile region of Tyre
and Sidon. When Jesus was in the gentile land, a woman approached
Jesus with unwavering faith, to cure her daughter who was tormented by evil
spirit. When she requested for help, Jesus did not take notice of her. I am
sure when people do not pay attention to what we speak, in those circumstances
we would either be angry with them or quit the place altogether. But, it was
not so with this Canaanite woman, she continues her pleas because her need
drive her on.
Having seen the persistence of this Canaanite woman, now this
time, the disciples went to Jesus and said, “Give her what she wants,’ they
said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to
the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was
kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair
to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted.’ (Mt
15: 23-27).
Now for an example, When you go on your knees to Jesus with a
special request and If Jesus happens to utter you these words: ‘It
is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs’, how
would you feel about it? I am sure you would immediately tend to doubt about
all his teachings especially Jesus’ unconditional love for all of us. Even
though the Canaanite woman was treated badly, but she never gave up.
These utterance of Jesus: “It is not fair to take the children’s
food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ (Mt 15:23), could not break the
persistence of the Canaanite woman. The more she was tested and humiliated
the stronger she became in her request, because her need drive her on.
This persistent nature of the Canaanite woman reflects the
Norwegian proverb that reads: Heroism consists of hanging on one minute longer.
"There is a story told of an young boy who had fallen through
the ice while skating and was left clinging, cold and alone, to the edge of the
ice with no help in sight. As he hung on in this seemingly hopeless situation
he was tempted many times to simply let go since no one was going to come along
to rescue him. But he held on, despite all odds. Finally, when everything
seemed beyond hope, he clung on one minute longer and after that extra minute
help arrived.[1]
Yes, dear brothers and
sisters let us hang on one minute longer like this young boy and the Canaanite
woman. The faith journey of
the Canaanite woman and the story of the young boy who longed for help tell us
that perseverance (hanging on one minute longer) is the key to success in our
life and faith. As a result of Canaanite woman’s persistence Jesus
tells her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And
from that moment her daughter was well again.
Let us always remember
the courage, and the persistence of the Canaanite woman and the young boy and
thus put our foot strong in our journey of faith by carrying out our daily
tasks well. Let us not be wavering in our faith, rather let us always remember:
Heroism consists of hanging on one minute longer and the Canaanite woman and
the young boy proved it to be right.
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