“O woman, great is your faith!”

…even dogs eat scraps…

SUNDAY GOSPEL – AUG 17, 2008.
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At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
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.”
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
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.
(Mt 15:21-28)
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Here we have an interesting account of a woman, a Canaanite at that, seemingly arguing with Jesus.
At that time it is quite unheard of for Jews to be even associating with pagans, so we have to understand that this incident provides for a very interesting and important account that Matthew had enough reasons to relate it.

“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.

At this point Jesus stays silent. We have to understand the instances when Jesus speaks and when He is silent, both have deep meanings. What is also remarkable is the persistence of this woman. She had to get past the unsympathetic apostles who even asked Jesus to “send her away…”.

But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus states this as a matter of fact, and should have been enough to finally discourage the woman.

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

This woman is really insistent. Note however that she did Jesus homage in the process.

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

Before we even think that Jesus insults the woman by likening her to a dog, we have to understand here that the focus of this passage was to take away food (an analogy of something good) from children and feed it to household pets that very much less deserve it. It had to be clear to her that Jesus came first for the Jews, then to the Gentiles.

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

Now we come to the heart of the matter. The seemingly clever argument of the woman that supposedly makes Jesus relent. But is that so?

Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith!”

Notice Jesus didn’t say: O woman, great is your argument!
Going back to the woman’s plea that “even dogs eat scraps from the table of their masters”, the woman in fact acknowledged she was as lowly as a dog, and further acknowledged that dogs have masters. She pleaded in full humility and rightly expects what such a dog might reasonably expect from its master. She was persistent yet she humbles herself rightly before her master. She was not offended, but was inspired to plead what she desired.

“Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

God’s mercy and power knows no bounds.
We cannot come to Jesus boastful of ourselves and expect something in return.
God’s love is given freely if we implore in all humility and true faith.
We can only come to Him in full cognizance of our own weaknesses,
to trust in the mercy and power of God.

HAPPY SUNDAY!