Homily for the Week of August 14, 2011

TWENTIETH SUNDAY 2011

Is 56:1,6-7; Rom. 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28

Can you picture Jesus as a member of the Cadyville or Saranac Fire Departments carrying around his beeper? That is exactly what Jesus did. Like fire fighters, He was often interrupted by those who would call on him for help. And it so happens that today it is a non-Jewish woman, a foreigner, who sets off his beeper. She pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter. Never before has Jesus ignored someone who pleaded with him for compassion. But today Jesus turns His back on her. He seems rude to her. She was not a Jew. His close friends try to discourage him from answering the rescue call. They all seemed to know her: she's noisy. She's bothersome and a distraction. And she is not one of them, She is not even a follower of Jesus. Forget her, and let's move on, they tell Jesus.

Jesus’ treatment of this woman grabs our attention because Jesus’ response to her seems so out of character. At first Jesus is quite disturbed with her. Jesus sounds harsh by saying it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. The woman was a foreigner, and according to Jewish teachings, was not entitled to God’s blessing. Not only was she a foreigner, but as a women she was expected to be reserved in public. Jesus did not answer her. Jesus was reflecting the disagreement among the Jews at that time.

If the woman had been seeking healing for herself, she might have given up. But she insists that her 911 call is not for herself but for her sick daughter. The woman can't tell Jesus much about her daughters medical condition but the mother knows the daughter is hurting. She forces Jesus to see her, not as an enemy but as one of his own with whom she shares a common desire for the well being of children.

Then Jesus listens to her. She says to Jesus: PLEASE,LORD, FOR EVEN THE DOGS EAT THE SCRAPES THAT FALL FROM THE TABLE. OF THEIR MASTERS. And Jesus answers her: O WOMAN, GREAT IS YOUR FAITH. LET IT BE DONE TO YOU AS YOU WISH. By these words this woman showed she believed, and that her faith did not depend on where she lived or her ancestors or even her religion. All people belong to God, she believed. This simple woman convinces Jesus to cure her child.

This woman lived centuries ago. But we do have today in our Catholic church and in our country people who exclude others. We often can be rude to some persons. Each of us at times have judged others, often using opposites such as: good/bad; rich/poor; young/old; married/not married; Catholic/Protestant; thin/fat; war/peace; tall/short; black/white; hot/cold; up/down; wide/narrow; yes/no.

In one way or other each of us here today have also made decisions as who is in or who is out within our friends, and sometimes, even in our families or classmates. More personally each of us has our own boundaries and we have constructed our own walls between us and those we include or those we exclude.

This causes separation in our church and among our community. The good news of our Bible readings today is that God has created all of us equal, and he has given each of us the same heavenly destiny. God has eliminated all divisions. Because all people belong to God.

We are thankful for the persistence of the Canaanite woman because when Jesus responded to her 911 call, he put in our front yard a flag with all the colors of the human spectrum. Catholic is spelled with a small “c” as well as a large one

Today's gospel poses some questions for us. Are our priorities the right ones? Do we restrict our love, our time, our compassion to those whom we like or who are like us? Are we striving to be like God, who shows mercy to people of all races and all backgrounds? Does our charity merely begin at home, and does it also end there?

Another set of questions is equally important: Are we ready to change our priorities to help those who need us? Are we willing to give time and energy to those in particular need, or do we ignore their need because we feel we are already "doing our bit," or because we are afraid of departing from the safety of what we call normal?

These are not easy questions -- even Jesus hesitated before responding to the Canaanite woman who begged him for help. Let this us today pray for the wisdom to know how best to support women and children. Let us pray that we will speak the truth even when insulted r ignored. Let us pray that all our actions will be made out of love from which no one is excluded.