Word to the Wise
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - Wednesday in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
[Num 13:1-2, 25—14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35 and Matt 15:21-28]"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." [Matthew]
AUGUST 4 ST. JOHN VIANNEY
Jesus' closing words to the Canaanite woman contrast with the disciples' words: "Send her away, for she keeps calling after us." However, he engages the woman in a dialogue that moves from policy to compassion. The "policy" appears to be a narrow interpretation of his mission - i.e. only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman challenges him to think more broadly: "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall form the table of their masters." (The woman was a pagan and Jews often referred to them as "dogs!") Jesus' ultimate reply focuses on the faith of the lady, and not on her ethnic identity. Indeed, the Gospel According to Matthew has as one of its broad themes the preaching of the gospel to all nations (cf. Matt. 28:18-20).
This is not the only time in the gospels that zealous disciples try to put boundaries on the Lord's compassion and mercy. (cf. Mark 10:38-52, Blind Timaeus). The problem still exists in our own time with efforts to exclude this or that person or class of persons from sacramental communion or community. Pope Francis has continually called us to be "missionary disciples," whose task is to bring the sick and wounded to the church as to a field hospital. Those who propose exclusion have a terrible responsibility to answer for. The persistent cry of the Canaanite woman or the blind beggar, Timaeus, and others in the gospels should be a sign to us of what our attitude and behavior should model - the compassion and mercy of Jesus. AMEN