Homily (Reflection) for the Twentieth
Sunday of the Year (A) (20th August, 2017) on the Gospel
Is 56:1.6-7;
Ps 66:2-3.5-6.8.
(R.v. 4);Rom 11:13-15.29-32;
Matt 15:21-28.
A man asked for financial assistance from one of his
neighbours. In the process, he gave his neighbour the impression that he had no
other means of getting the assistance. After listening to him attentively he
told him to wait for him and went into his room. He wanted to give him a cheque
but unfortunately discovered that he misplaced his chequebook. At first he
thought he could find it easily. When it was not so, he went out to explain to
the man what he was facing but behold the man was not there.
Thinking that
the man had gone out may be to walk around he went out to look for him. Not far
from his house he heard someone talking and he listened carefully. Behold it
was the same man telling someone else the same story and also telling the
person that he had no other means of getting the help.
Topic:
This Canaanite woman.
Reading through today’s gospel with
The Holy Bible: The New Revised Standard
Version Catholic Edition, I found it difficult to reconcile verses 23 and
24. In The Holy Bible among other
translations verse 23 reads that the apostles said to Jesus, “… Send her away,
for she keeps shouting after us”. And Jesus replied in verse 23, “… I was sent
only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. As one can see, this reply does
not match the request. To unravel this, I read other translations and found in The
New Jerusalem Bible what I judged a better translation. It reads: “… Give her what she wants, because she keeps
shouting after us” (Matt 15:23).
It also noted that the correct translation of the Greek verb is “let her go
with her request granted”. So I will be working mainly with The New Jerusalem
Bible.
Today’s gospel reads, “… suddenly
out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Lord, Son
of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he said
not a word in answer to her” (Matt
15:22-23). Imagine the scenario. Remember the saying also that the best
answer to a fool is silence. And as if that was not enough, when the woman came
and bowed low before Jesus and pleaded “Lord … help me” she got this: “… It is
not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs” (Matt 15:26). Jesus’ reply was in line
with the Jewish mentality that the gentiles are equal to dogs (The New Jerusalem
Bible). Not even this could scare her from going for what she was looking for.
Hence, she retorted: “… Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that
fall from their masters’ table” (Matt
15:27).
As I reflect I kept wondering
‘What could be in this Canaanite woman that made her stood so adamant that
nothing could distract her getting what she wanted – cultural barrier, silence,
unfavourable reply among others? In the prophet Isaiah we read, “but they who
wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings
like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is 40:31).
Just like this Canaanite woman,
everyone has needs. But the difference seems to be in the individuals. The
Letter of Saint James reads, “… It is because you do not pray that you do not
receive; when you pray and do not receive, it is because you prayed wrongly,
wanting to indulge your passions” (Jas
4:2-3). In the gospel according to Saint Luke, Jesus assures us, “If you
had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be
rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Lk 17:6).
It must be the faith of the Canaanite woman that made her to
wait because she was certain that it must come, cf. Hab 2:3. In her faith, she seemed to have said with the prophet: “But
as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my
God will hear me” (Mic 7:7). Relying
on the fact that “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that
seeks him” (Lam 3:25) and that those
who wait for the Lord shall not be put to shame, (cf. Is 49:23), we ought to follow the example of this woman unlike the
man we saw in the introductory part of this homily. It is important to note
that neither the prayers of this woman nor those of the disciples obtained for
her what she wanted but only her faith. Hence Jesus said to her, “Woman, you
have great faith. Let your desire be granted” (Matt 15:28). So as you pray for your needs and ask others to pray
for you too, do not fail to have faith.
Bible Reading: Lam 3:1ff; Jas 2:14-26; 4:1-12; Lk 18:1-8; 2Pt
1:3-11.
Thought for today:
Do
you seek for what you need with your faith?
Let
us pray: Lord, grant
us faith as great as that of the Canaanite woman because it is only through
faith that we can please you – Amen (cf. Heb
11:6).
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free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
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