Word to the Wise
Wednesday, August 5, 2015 - Wednesday in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
[Num 13:1-2, 25—14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35 and Matt 15:21-28]Jesus 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 scrapsthat fall fromthe tableof their masters." Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." [Matthew]
Who did Jesus come to save? If your instinctive response is "Everyone!" you would be correct, but that response is by no means universal. There are those who believe that Jesus was correct to ignore the Canaanite woman at first and should have continued to ignore her. Note that "his disciples came and asked him, 'Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.'" The Canaanite woman is not the only non-Jew who approached Jesus for help. The gospels show him time and again responding to faith rather than to ethnic status.
Pope Francis caused a number of "tsk, tsk" responses when he referred to the church as a field hospital for wounded sinners and not a club for the spiritual elite. The church's mission is not just to those who are formal members by baptism. When Catholic Relief Services offers help, it does not require baptismal certificates! When someone comes to the rectory door, the proper response is NOT, "Are you a practicing Catholic?" All of us who are disciples (indeed Pope Francis says we are all "missionary disciples") could ask ourselves, "Who is it that keeps calling after us?" Jesus' question revealed the spark of the woman's faith. He blew a bit of breath on that spark and brought it to life. We can do the same. AMEN
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