Model of Great Faith
Homily on “Model of Great Faith” based on the Gospel of Matthew 15:21-28:
The three readings today reveal that God's mercy is beyond our cultural and ethnic boundaries and that genuine faith refuses to give up even when God seems to be silent.
The New Testament is full of incidents where individuals had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. But - in all those incidents, there is probably none as moving or as difficult – even none as confusing - to understand as the encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman - as we heard in our Gospel reading.
People might get the impression that Jesus seemed to be unsympathetic and even rude, degrading to the woman - a Gentile – an outcast. It is just unfortunate that we cannot hear the tone of Jesus’ voice as he spoke or we cannot see his facial expression as he talked of “giving that which belonged to the children to the dogs.”
But - the woman - evidently, saw in it - not a rejection - but an invitation to persistence.
And so – the woman, understanding Jesus’ intent, the woman says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the children’s crumbs or scraps that fall from the table.” What a wonderful exchange between Jesus and the woman.
The woman understood what Jesus meant when He said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Meaning – The woman understood and accepted the priority of Israel in God’s plan of salvation and believed that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah - through whom God would bring salvation to the whole world – not only to the Jews. She believed that even a scrap or a crumb, so to speak, of Christ’s power is enough. This reveals extraordinary humility and confidence.
The woman lived in a culture where women were meant to be seen but not heard, but she could not keep quiet because of her love for and her concern for her daughter.
The faith of the Canaanite woman was not shaken by the attitude of the disciples who wanted Jesus to send her away. The Canaanites were historically associated with Israel's enemies. So, the woman represents someone outside the covenant community.
The gospel basically asks us to refuse to place limits on God's mercy. God’s grace and mercy extend beyond cultural and ethnic boundaries.
The late Pope Francis has repeatedly reminded the church that the church is not a club or organization of the perfect but a place where wounded people encounter the healing mercy of Jesus. The church exists not merely for those who are already inside but also for those who are still searching for a way home… to God’s love, grace and mercy.
So – because of the Canaanite woman’s humility and that her faith persists against cultural and social barriers, Jesus was moved and responded to such striking faith: “O Woman, great is your faith! Let your wish be granted.”
Faith life – Christian life is such a paradox in the sense that true believers in God are born in hard times, not when things are going well. Great faith grows in times of struggles and despair.
In the hardest times of life, faith reaches its greatest height. It is strange but true. Until we have known great despair, sorrow or hardship, we cannot know great faith – personally. Great faith has always come out of situations of despair, of hopelessness… of darkness of the soul.
But – it does not mean that we now start praying or looking for misery or trials - so that we will grow in faith. Life will bring them to us and they will transform us.
The saints - down through the centuries – gave us wonderful examples of faith even in the midst of despair and darkness.
So, let us never lose faith even when we often experience delay in God’s answers to our prayers. Being delayed is not being denied.
The silences of God often purify our desires. Meaning - They actually help us - they give us a better understanding of the God from whom we seek help. God’s timing and plans may not be as we expect or want. We often come to God for physical or material needs but later find out God meets even our even bigger or greater needs – more than we asked for.
The reward for our faith is not always having our prayers answered. In the Gospel story, the woman received what she asked for. But there are many times – more often than not - when the things we want or prayed for are not given to us. And even then, we are assured of God’s love and concern.
It is the strength of our faith that takes us through the greatest challenges of life. Faith is trusting God even when we do not feel His presence. We must remember that God's silence is not necessarily God's absence. True faith often requires perseverance. The woman did not give up.
The Gospel story presents us with an ideal way to pray and humble interior disposition - we must have - when approaching God – when we pray - with humility and persistence and utmost trust in God. Sometimes, the most mature prayer is not a long prayer but a simple one as what the Canaanite woman expressed to Jesus: “’Lord, help me.” Short. Simple. “Lord, help me.” Try it.
Some of you may be living with a quiet kind of desperateness or hopelessness now that is causing you so much anxiety now, destroying your happiness and peace. You may not be able even to express it. You may not even want to discuss it with anyone. And - hopefully NOT – you may even be considering – something very foolish.
Let me urge you to do what the Canaanite woman did. Turn to God who loves you and cares for you…
In the Gospel, Jesus said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Yet, after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus told his disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mk 16:15).
- Meaning - Even to the Gentiles… Meaning - to us.
- By virtue of our baptism in Christ, we are now Beloved Sons and Daughters of God – Children of God… co-heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now, we do not need to settle for “crumbs or scraps falling from the Master’s table”, so to speak. Those are for dogs! Jesus’ death on the Cross – our being baptized into Jesus’ death - has promoted us - adopted us and made us children of the Master.
The Master invites us to the table and feeds us with the finest spiritual food, the Eucharist.
In the Eucharist, Jesus not only gives us food and drink – Jesus gives us Himself – His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. You know what – the truth is - every Mass is actually a Healing Mass. You do not have to look for or wait for a Healing Priest.
Jesus sees all that is good within the human heart. He saw the faith of the Canaanite woman. Jesus sees your faith. Jesus sees my faith. Jesus knows how hard we are trying our best to be faithful to Him and to serve Him.
Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He loves us more than we love ourselves. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, beloved sons and daughters of God - our Father, let us pray: May our faith become like that of the Canaanite woman: humble enough to ask, courageous enough to persist, compassionate enough to intercede for others, and strong enough never to let go of Jesus.
Amen.
God bless…
