Worthy

Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Jeremiah 31:1-7; Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13; Matthew 15:21-28

Summary

The quote from Jesus regarding children and dogs is rather difficult to read, yes?
There are many animal-to-human analogies in sacred scripture.

1. Sheep
2. Swine
3. Dogs

… to name a few. It takes careful reading to make good use of this: It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

You may infer that Jesus knew what she needed and he planned to help her at the conclusion of the dailog but the dialog is intended to reveal – (x-ref) And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me (Jn 11:41b-42).

Yet sometimes going to the end of the story and work backwards helps to understand the beginning of the story.

1. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
2. Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
3. But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
4. 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.”

(to the disciples) He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (to the disciples) ”Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (to the Canaanite woman) 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.” (Mt 15:24; Mt 10:6, Mt 15:26-27).

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

The Greek word is a diminutive form of “dogs,” sometimes rendered “little dogs” or “household dogs.” This may shift the image from scavenging dogs outside to animals beneath the family table, but it does not remove the difficulty of Jesus’ words.

We struggle with basic truths. You’ve heard the questions in different forms:

1. Why does God allow sin, and calamity?
2. Why doesn’t he fix things right now?
3. Why does he love the Jews more than everyone else?

Even as we know the rational answers to these questions … the questions remain, at least at some level.

The basic answer is:

1. God does things with love in a fashion: timely, orderly, progressively, and purposefully.
2. At the same time He preserves our dignity and freedom and made us capable to order things aright as well.
3. This is a story of proper perspective for everyone – relations toward others and relation with God.

Jesus’ mission begins within Israel, in fidelity to God’s covenant, and from Israel extends to all nations. This is an order of revelation and mission, not an order of human worth.

Be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust (Mt 5:45).

The Canaanite woman reveals movements common to faith in every age. The woman does not convince Jesus to be merciful. Through the dialogue, Jesus reveals the faith by which she already receives mercy.

1. Recognition: Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
2. Homage and Persistance: She did him homage… Lord, help me.
3. Trust in abundance: Let me … eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters. Translation: this is a small matter for you, but a big matter for me.
4. O woman, great is your faith!
5. Let it be done for you as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Personal Reflection

The story deserves its difficult reputation, but difficulty is not its final meaning. It reveals love and devotion and divine presence not based on chaos and capriciousness. It also reveals our deportment toward the divine.

The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” (Mt 8:8).

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080526.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry