Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
It is very tempting for me to delve right into the gospel reading and the curious yet amazing story of a despised mother, who within a matter of seconds, turns into a model of faith. But I shall resist that temptation. Because, even though there is a despised mother who shows exemplary faith and her daughter is miraculously healed, the story that is being narrated is a different story. “My house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples” (Is 56:7). This is the main plot of today’s story. The story of the woman who gains Jesus’ praise is a sub-plot that supports the main plot.
I have three points for you today. I am going to build this homily towards Isaiah very first statement in today's first reading, "Observe what is right, do what is just" (Is 56:1).
1. A House of God for All Peoples. In reality, today’s scripture readings is about how we imagine God's saving work in the world and through Jesus Christ. The story begins in the Old Testament with Abraham and reaches its climax in God’s choice of an insignificant, powerless, and enslaved people as God’s own people. God did not choose because Israel was worthy but precisely because Israel was unworthy. However, God’s choice of Israel was not an exclusive choice. The plan was that all other peoples would find Israel’s existence, her relationship with God, and her relationship with each other so fascinating, that every nation would come to know, love, and do homage to Israel’s God. Hence, the words in today’s first reading, “The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD… them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Is 56:6-7). God’s vision for salvation is a universal vision. The woman in today’s gospel reading was a foreigner. No, she was a despised foreigner. On that day, a despised Canaanite mother found God’s favor and her faith won Jesus’ praise. Isaiah’s prophecy was coming true. God’s vision of universal salvation was being rolled out in the person of Jesus Christ.
2. The Plot Thickens – “I am speaking to you Gentiles.” Before we get to the story of the faith-filled Canaanite mother, we must address Paul’s words, “I am speaking to you Gentiles” (Rom 11:32). God’s plan for Israel to be the shining example for all nations did not play out well. Jesus became the epitome of Israel’s rejection of her election by God. On the other hand, in the post-resurrection times, the Gentile world became the hotspot for the movement of the Holy Spirit. This Jewish-Gentile dilemma is played out in the story of the once despised mother who has since turned a hero. The children versus stray dog language serves to highlight the tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians. However, the main plot of Matthew’s story is that reconciliation can happen, barriers can be crossed, walls can be dismantled. Matthew’s Jesus crosses into the Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon. There, a Canaanite mother addresses him as, “Lord, Son of David!” (Mt 15:22). Jesus’ disciples ask him to send her away. As disparaging as Jesus’ response sounds, he talks to her. Jesus responses, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs,” highlight the social conflicts of the time. But the woman is no pushover. She talks back to Jesus in a way that tugs the heart of God. A dialogue has begun. Suddenly, there is a two-fold miracle. Not only is the girl healed, God’s grace has been freely shared with a Gentile and a foreigner. Behold, a Gentile has come to faith in Jesus Christ. There are more miracles. Barriers have been broken. Walls has been torn down. God’s vision for universal salvation has been accomplished in Jesus Christ.
3. A Woman, A Mother, An Outsider. At the parish council meeting last Wednesday, were reflecting on the gospel reading. A member, who is also a mother said something very interesting about Jesus’ response to the woman, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “A mother will do anything for her children, even be willing to be called a dog.” And then she said, “The story of this mother tells us that God belongs to all and that even outsiders are welcome.” This response gave me three practical implications for today. First, there simply is no substitute for faith. We live in unprecedented times. These are times that we come before God with the faith of that mother who pleads for her daughter’s healing. Our children are about to head to schools during a pandemic. We have never done this before. Mothers and fathers are nervous about their children. Let us plead with the faith of that Canaanite mother that our children too might be safe. Second, too many people are making claims to exclusivity in our world. More and more people are rejecting others based on their race, nationality, religion, gender, class, and other causes. This is contrary to the gospel. As that mother said at the parish council meeting, “God belongs to all, and all belong to God!’ Third, we must be a people of dialogue. Beside the dialogue between Jesus and the Canaanite mother, the gospels have other instances when Jesus talks to those that the Jewish society held in disdain – the Samaritan woman, the Syrophoenician woman, and the Centurion whose servant was healed. In Jesus parable Jesus brought those who were despised into the forefront – the Good Samaritan, the humble tax-collector. In our very toxic environment, there is a tremendous need for continuing dialogue. We can disagree with each other. Let us not stop talking to each other.
I must conclude with where I began. God says, “Observe what is right, do what is just” (Is 56:1). Both Jesus and the Canaanite mother observed what is right and did what is just. May our stories become sub-plots in the story of God’s plan for universal salvation.
- Fr. Satish Joseph