Sunday Homilies by Fr. Rudolf V. D’ Souza

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20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2008 Year: A
Is. 56:1, 6-7; Rom. 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt. 15:21-28
A house of prayer for all 

First Reading...
"Thus says the Lord: 'Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.

And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant - these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.'" [Is. 56:1, 6-7]

Second Reading...
"Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!

The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all." [Rom. 11:13-15, 29-32]

Gospel Reading...
"Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that region came out, and started shouting, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.' But he did not answer her at all.

And his disciples came and urged him, saying, 'Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'

But the woman came and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, help me.' He answered, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.' She said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.'

Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly." [Mt. 15:21-28]

It was evening and a woman came to my office profusely shedding tears. She told me that her condition at home was miserable. She neglected her children and was living a careless life with another man out of wedlock aborting 4 babies. Her daughter threatened to commit suicide recently because she was feeling totally left out and felt no affection and love towards parents. This woman felt absolutely sorry for all that had been happening in her life. I could not give her a ready solution. I told her that she should go for a short retreat and then come to me for further counseling. She accepted this suggestion and went for a retreat and came back to speak to me after a few days. I saw in her deep serenity and she told me that her daughter had been to a priest and now she wants to live a peaceful life. This was the time I told her that she should rely on God, and change her life style. I told her that she should always say to herself that she needs God’s help.

What is unusual about the event in the Gospel is that the woman was a Canaanite. In deuteronomic and postdeuteronomic literature, the Canaanites were viewed as sinful race that embodied every possible evil and godlessness. The Canaanites were viewed as a nation that was to be exterminated. A it was not the general practice for the Jewish people to mix with the Samaritans, also, it was not the general practice for them to mix with the Canaanites. So what was Jesus to do when He was approached by a race that was avoided by the Jewish people?

The Greek woman refers to Jesus by the messianic title "son of David" (15:22).

At first, Jesus ignores the woman's request and the disciples complain that she is badgering them (15:23).

Jesus responds to them by saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, i.e., the Jews (15:24).

After the clever repartee, Jesus responds by saying that her faith (or trust) is enormous and informs her directly that the exorcism is fulfilled (15:28).

We see here the great faith of the woman, extraordinary courage to approach Jesus, and her strong conviction that prayers will be heard.

The coasts of Tyre and Sidon. These cities were on the sea-coast or shore of the Mediterranean. See "Matthew 11:21". He went there for the purpose of concealment, Mark 7:24 perhaps still to avoid Herod.

A woman of Canaan. This woman is called also a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, Mark 7:26. Anciently the whole land, including Tyre and Sidon, was in the possession of the Canaanites, and called Canaan. The Phoenicians were descended from the Canaanites. The country, including Tyre and Sidon, was called Phoenicia, or Syro-Phoenicia. That country was taken by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, and those cities, in the time of Christ, were Greek cities. This woman was therefore a Gentile, living under the Greek government, and probably speaking the Greek language. She was by birth a Syro-Phoenician, born in that country, and descended, therefore, from the ancient Canaanites. All these names might with propriety be given to her.

Thou Son of David. Descendant of David. See "Matthew 1:1". Meaning the Messiah.

Is grievously vexed with a devil. See "Matthew 4:24". The woman showed great earnestness. She cried unto him, and fell at his feet, Mark 7:25.

But he answered her not a word. This was done to test her faith, and that there might be exhibited to the apostles an example of the effect of persevering supplication. The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried. God does not answer our prayers immediately. Often we feel that there is great silence. Of course God answers in silence of our hearts.

But he answered, I am not sent, etc. This answer was made to the woman, not to the disciples. The lost sheep of the house of Israel were the Jews. He came first to them. He came as their expected Messiah. He came to preach the gospel himself to the Jews only. Afterwards it was preached to the Gentiles; but the ministry of Jesus was confined almost entirely to the Jews.

She came and worshipped. That is, bowed down to him, did him reverence. She saw in Jesus certainly a divine person. She believed in him and had the assurance that he would provide her whatever she wanted and he need would be provided. She said Lord, help me. This is a proper cry for a poor sinner, who needs the help of the Lord Jesus.

But he answered and said, It is not meet, etc. That is, it is not fit or proper. A stiff answer on the part of the Lord. We do not know why the Lord answered her so impolitely. But the circumstance shows that we need to become humble before God when we ask something for ourselves.

Children's bread The Jews considered themselves as the peculiar children of God. To all other nations they were accustomed to apply terms of contempt, of which dog was the most common. The Mohammedans still apply the term dogs to Christians, and Christians and Jews to each other. It is designed as an expression of the highest contempt. The Saviour means to say that he was sent to the Jews. The woman was a Gentile. He meant, that it did not comport with the design of his personal ministry to apply benefits intended for the Jews to others.

Our Saviour did not intend to justify or sanction the use of such terms, or calling names. He meant to try her faith. As if he had said, "You are a Gentile. I am a Jew. The Jews call themselves children of God. You they vilify, and abuse, calling you a dog. Are you willing to receive of a Jew, then, a favour? Are you willing to submit to these appellations, to receive a favour of one of that nation, and to acknowledge your dependence on a people that so despise you?"

It was a trial of her faith, and not lending his sanction to the propriety of the abusive term. He regarded her with a different feeling.

And she said, True, Lord, etc: "What you say is true. Let it be that the best food should he given to the children. Let the Jews have the chief benefit of thy ministry. But the dogs, beneath the table, eat the crumbs. So let me be regarded as a dog, a heathen, as unworthy of everything. Yet grant one exertion of that almighty power, displayed so signally among the Jews, and heal the despised daughter of a despised heathen mother."

Great is thy faith. That is, thy trust, confidence. The word here seems to include, also, the humility and perseverance manifested in pressing her suit. The daughter was healed then. Going home, she found her well and composed, Mark 7:30.

We heard in the first reading that "The House of Prayer for all peoples," [Is. 56:7] formerly known as the Temple, is now called the Church, the Church being the physical building in which the faithful worship the Lord God. If you recall, Jesus made reference to the "House of Prayer for all the nations" [Mt. 21:13; Mk. 11:17; Jn. 2:16] when He drove the money- changers from the Temple. In the Gospel of John, [Jn. 2:13-22] the application of the House of Prayer is developed to mean more than the physical building of gathering for worship. The House of Prayer, the Temple, is defined as consisting of Jesus' own body.

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