20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.

Mt 15:21-28

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At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

It is outside the land of Israel. It is pagan territory (non-Jewish) inhabited by Canaanites, long-time enemies of Israel. Tyre and Sidon are found in modern-day Lebanon.

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.”

Only Jews would be familiar with the title, “Son of David”. And they would use it only for the promised Messiah. How did a Canaanite woman who was not a Jew learn about this title? Did she know what it meant? Is this a sign of the beginning of faith in Jesus Christ?

In those days people did not know about germs and viruses. They thought that illness was caused by evil spirits. That’s why she did not say: “My daughter is sick.” Instead she said: “MY daughter is tormented by a demon.” So that her daughter would get well, she would ask Jesus to drive away the demon.

Even today some Filipinos would resort to “tawas” to find out why someone is sick. Even today some Filipinos would explain why someone is sick by saying: “Nakulam.”

But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.

Why did he not mind the woman? Jesus explains his behavior this way: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”

The woman was making a scene. She was creating a scandal. And the disciples were not comfortable at all the people looking at them.

This woman would not take no for an answer. She wouldn’t give up even if Jesus was not minding her. She was persistent. Why? Because a mother would do everything to make her child get well. 

Maybe St. Matthew included this story in his gospel in order to teach us about perseverance in prayer, about praying and not getting discouraged. Maybe St. Matthew used this story of the Canaanite woman in order to explain this saying of Jesus: "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.” (Mt 7:7-8)

But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”

What does “did him homage” mean? It means to bow. Is this a sign of respect. Or is this already, as I have said, an expression of faith, that Jesus was not an ordinary man but at least, a man of God.

He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”

The Jews called pagans “dogs”. It was supposed to be an insult. Did Jesus mean to insult the woman? This would be out of character for Jesus. I would think that if Jesus were texting, he would put a smiley at the end of his text message.

She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

This woman was not only persistent. She was also witty. She used the very words of Jesus to get him to grant her wish for her daughter’s healing.

This reminds me of a conversation between St. Teresa of Avila and Jesus. She was on her way to visit one of the convents which she had established. But the heavy rains had swollen the river. She could not cross it. And that made her angry. Then Jesus appeared to her and said: “That is how I treat my friends.” St. Teresa, who was also a witty woman, retorted: “That explains why you have so few friends!”

Then Jesus said to her 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.

Faith is the key that unlocks the blessings from heaven. Faith makes it possible for us to receive the graces that God wants to give to his children. God’s blessings are like rain that falls from the sky. If we have faith, our hands would be open to catch these blessings. But if our faith were weak, then our hands would be closed and these blessings would slide away from our grasp.

If we have a weak faith, it would not really be a big problem. Faith is gift from God. Because it is a gift, we can ask for it, we can pray for it. And we shall receive sufficient faith. For did not Jesus promise us: Ask and you shall receive.

Today’s gospel teaches us three lessons: (1) Prayer that does not give in to discouragement because it comes from a strong faith; (2) Faith is necessary for us to receive the blessings from heaven; and (3) If our faith is weak, then we can pray for a strong faith because Jesus promised: Ask and you shall receive.