3-Aug-16

Gospel MT 15: 21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Reflection:
"At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon."
Tyre and Sidon were the non-Jewish territories; we can only speculate why Jesus was there. But, the word, "withdrew" may be a clue.
Perhaps He wanted to have some time alone with His disciples without being constantly sought after by the crowds or the Pharisees and scribes who were taking exception to His every word.
A "Canaanite" (non-Jewish) woman of that area approached Him saying, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
Jesus explains to her that He was sent to save the Jews alone, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
"But the woman came and did him homage...........”
To do "homage" is to bow or kneel before someone, to humble one's self.
Then she pleaded, "“Lord, help me.”
He replied to this foreign woman's humble plea by saying, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”
But, the desperation of a mother for her sick child is not to be dismissed. She quickly responds, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
Through the woman's impassioned plea, God begins to lead Jesus to a broader understanding of His mission, His purpose on earth.
Perhaps, it was then that Jesus thought of the words from Psalm 136: "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications."
"Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour."
And so, not only was the woman's daughter healed, but perhaps in that moment Jesus realized that His life and His mission was not only to save the Jews, but to save the world.
"Through our life experiences we are awakened. Only then, through God's revelation, are we transformed." - - Unknown