20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

 

August 16, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7

Psalm 67 “O God, let all the nations praise you.”

Second Reading: Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32

Gospel reading according to Matthew 15: 21-28

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Homily:

Jesus, because of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish, became popular to the people.  Wherever he went, people were following him.  So he cannot show himself publicly and cannot go anywhere freely.  People were following him and looking after him.  To avoid the crowd but not to hide from the crowd, he decided to go to the place where only few knew him, so that he can be with his disciples privately. It is natural and normal to a leader to have private meetings with his disciples.  “At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon” (Matthew 15: 21).  So, this time, he and his disciples went to the region between Tyre and Sidon, near the Mediterranean Sea, to be away from the crowds.

Though it was secret to the knowledge of the people, still goodness cannot be hidden for long a time.  A Canaanite woman and mother can easily discover what she needed, and she found Jesus, whom she called Son of David. “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′.” (Matthew 15: 22).  What does she mean when she calls Jesus, Son of David?  Matthew begins by calling Jesus the Son of David, indicating his royal origin, and also Son of Abraham, indicating that he was an Israelite; both are stock phrases, in which son means descendant, calling to mind the promises God made to David and to Abraham.  She knew the historical background of the term Son of David, and she recognized the holiness, royalty and the cultural world of Jesus as an Israelite.  But in spite of this, she came to Jesus and begged him.  When we need something badly, we forget many obstacles that bar or block our way, we lose our fear, and we disregard all barriers that block our way.  The woman had a daughter who was possessed by a demon, and because she loved her daughter very much she will do anything to dispel the demon in her daughter. And she knew that Jesus can heal her daughter, so she begged him like a beggar asking alms.

Jesus did not say anything, he kept silent, as if he did not hear the plea of that woman.  “But Jesus 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′.” (Matthew 15: 23).  But his disciples, like what they suggested to Jesus sent away the crowd when they were in the deserted place and the people were hungry and tired.  They again suggested to Jesus to send away the woman because she was making noise and calling attention.  Jesus reminded his disciples the purpose of his coming.  “He said in reply, ‵I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel′.” (Matthew 15: 24).  Jesus knew very well his mission, to bring to the fold those Jews separated from God, like strayed sheep lost on their way.  He explained his mission to the disciples so that they may understand his silence with the Canaanite woman′s pleading

I suppose the Canaanite woman did not hear what Jesus said to his disciples, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  Instead, she came closer to Jesus, recognizing who Jesus was, prostrated and gave him homage.  “But the woman came and did him homage, saying, ‵Lord, help me′.” (Matthew 15: 25).  She pleaded for help.  Maybe she was exhausted with her daughter′s sickness (possessed by a demon), and she pitied her daughter very much.  So, she will do anything, whatever, to alleviate the sufferings of her daughter. 

For a mother who is suffering because of her daughter’s sickness, anything she can accept, even calling her a dog, meaning a pagan with lots of gods and goddesses.    “He said in reply, ‵It is not right to take the food to the children and throw it to the dogs′.” (Matthew 15: 26).  Jesus talked to her straightforwardly.  I think and I feel, Jesus did not want to hurt the feelings of a mother in need, but he should tell the truth and the reality of the situation between the Jews and the pagans of whom the Jews called the pagan nations as dogs.  “It is not right to take the food to the children and throw it to the dogs.”  The children here are the Israelite Jews and the dogs are the pagans

But this Canaanite woman has wisdom and great faith.  She knows how to respond to Jesus′s words, let us say, as honestly, “an insult to the person of a mother.”  “She said, ‵Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters′.” (Matthew 15: 27).  She rebutted and disproved that saying of the Jews, “. . . for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”  “Then Jesus said in reply, ‵O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.′ And the woman′s daughter was healed from that hour” (Matthew 15: 28). Jesus saw her faith, her great faith and he was amazed of the sincerity of her answer and wisdom.  Nothing is impossible with faith, with great faith for the faith is the measure and standard for our salvation.