FAITH TESTED AND FAITH ANSWERED (Matthew 15:21-28)
Have you ever wonder why your prayer is not answered by God? What are the possible reasons for unanswered prayer? As a priest, one of the most complex and challenging theological questions I get from a desperate soul is- why is God not answering his or her prayer? Hence, it is hard to explain, justify or reason out. It defies every theological logic and reasoning to explain why? Possibly, it implies our answer could be our faith tested and faith answered in Christ Jesus.
OUR THEMES
The readings of this Sunday did not to only challenge us to a persistent faith in God when we ask for our daily needs. Especially, when our cries, desperations and cares are met with the silence or seemingly absence of God. They also remind us of a fundamental fact of God. That is, in the Kingdom of God, in the Divine Plan of God´s salvation, or the Church of God there is no room for exclusiveness. In God, there is all-inclusiveness of all people, colour, race, nations and culture. Therefore, the readings affirm the expansive and universal nature of the “Kingdom of God.”
FIRST READING
The first reading from the Prophet Isaiah 56:1. 6-7 challenged and revolutionized the narrow-minded of the people of Israel. That is the mentality that, God is exclusively for them. He reminded them of how foreigners who know, recognise, serve and love God and his servants will find justice, peace and integrity in the House of God. Moreover, it will be a House of prayer for all peoples without exclusivity.
Today’s Psalm (Ps 66), “Let all the peoples praise You, O God”, invites us to find our stand in the God of all peoples: While rejecting all types of religious or societal exclusivity in the name of God.
SECOND READING
Romans 11:13-15, 29-32, St. Paul continues his discussion on God´s choicest plan for the people of Israel. How many of them rejected Christ as the promised Messiah. As a result, how this rejection paved the way for the Gentiles’ nations to come to God. While living in anticipation of God´s irrevocable choice and mercy to save Israel despite their rejection of God´s salvation in Christ Jesus.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 15:21-28
The gospel text of this Sunday is very strange to the nature of God as prophesized by the Prophet Isaiah in today´s first reading. It is also unlike the person of Christ who came that all without exclusion may have life and have it to the full.
THE GOSPEL TEXT IN A CONTEXT AND NOT LITERARILY.
1. Jesus sought for a quiet time before the turmoil of the end. This is not in any sense a picture of him running away. It is a picture of him preparing himself and his disciples for the final and decisive battle which lay so close ahead.
2. Hence, he deliberately withdrew himself and his disciples from public attention. The only time he ever went outside of the Jewish territory. As it was, the Gentile land of Tyre and Sidon habited by the Phoenician pagans was the only place he could have privacy. Where no Jew will enter to look for him. A place he will not be under the scrutiny or malignant hostility of the Scribes and Pharisees. Besides, somewhere he could as well as escape the dangerous popularity of the people after feeding the multitude.
THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES
3. The regions of Tyre and Sidon, the land of the Canaanite people has a bad memory for the Israelites. This is because the Canaanite´s stocks were the ancestral enemies of the Jews. They were also considered as a people very idolatrous, promiscuous and wicked in nature.
4. Yet. Jesus went there to break the barriers of labelling, branding, classifying, hatred, cultural and racial discriminations as well as religious ostracization of certain people because of the past form God.
FAITH TESTED AND FAITH ANSWERED
5. There a Canaanite woman who perhaps must have heard of Jesus fame and work of mercy or compassion to heal and restore life. Boldly, came forward with a profound sense of confidence, hopefulness and faith in spites of the odds against her.
6. Sadly, Jesus ignored her plead for mercy and compassion for a helpless daughter. Even when she used the most glorious titles of Jesus: “Lord” and “Son of David.”
GOD´S “INDIFFERENCE”
7. Amidst the indifference of Christ, those around Jesus felt slighted. As well as embarrassed by his insensitive and possible his responses to her. They wished Jesus ended the insistent and persistent spirit of the woman. They urged him, “give her what she wants, and be rid of her.” The reaction of the disciples was not compassion at all. It was the reverse; to them, the woman was a nuisance. And all they wanted was to be rid of her as quickly as possible.
THE SEEMING SILENCE OF GOD
8. Obviously, Jesus’ responses to her were not encouraging and very unlike him. He is always known to help the needy and troubled hearted. A Gentile crying for mercy means only one thing for Jesus to do. He must awaken true faith in the heart of this Gentile woman.
9. First, he claimed, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” An exclusive mentality and a preference for certain people. In this context, Jesus intentional outing in a non-Jewish territory was in search of the ten lost tribes of Judah. The missing ten tribes of Israel whom probably will no longer be a pure –race of Jews. Thus, it was right he tested the faith of whoever wants to follow him or seek his help.
THE DEMAND OF FAITH
10. Secondly, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” This is not just a very cold response but virtually a deadly and a contemptuous insult in every sense of the word. It was like almost calling the woman and her people dog. The Jew spoke with arrogant insolence about the Gentile nations like calling them: “Gentile dogs,” or “infidel dogs”. in this way, later in the Christian era they called them, “Christian dogs.” In those days the dogs were the unclean scavengers of the street-lean, savage, often diseased.
11. However, in his search for true believers in God, his intention was not to despise or berated the Canaanite woman and her people. It is to test their faith and stand in God. Especially, amidst profound idolatries. Jesus´ tone was one of a general remark and possibly his look made all the difference. It was not a harsh one, and as such, the woman was quick to respond complimentarily and encouragingly.
THE INTELLIGENT FAITH
12. The woman´s response to the uncommitted statement of Christ was the strongest affirmation of persistent faith and trust in God´s mercy and favour to all even those who do not merit it. “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
THE CANAANITE WOMAN´S PERSONALITY AND FAITH JOURNEY
I. The Canaanite woman was a mother who loved deeply her child and made her daughter´s misery hers to endure all odds to get what she desired.
II. It was a faith, humility and courage which grew in contact with Jesus.
III. It was also a faith that followed, praised, worshipped, and adored as she ended up on her knees.
IV. She was not discouraged rather with an indomitable persistent she refused to quit or surrender to obstacles.
V. She has a gift of cheerfulness amid trouble. God loves the cheerful faith that always lights up hope in gloomy situation and beamy smile in desperate moments.
GOD´S JOY FINDING FAITH IN US
13. Finally, Jesus’ eyes lit up with joy at such an indomitable faith. A tested and confirmed faith of a pagan woman. He praised her as well as granted her the blessing and the healing which she so much desired. “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. ”
There are several lessons for us in the gospel text of this Sunday. Especially in our constant struggles with unanswered prayers. Why are our distressed prayers not answered?
OUR LESSONS AND CHALLENGES
a. Prayers are not wishful psychological thinking or wordy magical babbling. They are conscious mental desire to concrete physical, material or spiritual needs of the souls that require trust and faith in God.
b. Prayer is asking for God´s will to be done and not ours to be done. It is letting God be God and not us.
c. Hence, prayer should be by God´s time, God´s way and God´s tended purpose. It is not in our time, way or manner.
THE THREE “Ps” OF PRAYER LIFE
d. Patience, perseverance, and persistence are strong keys to unlocking the seeming silence of God. Waiting on God with persistence, insistence and steadfastness is living an active Christian faith. One that does turn to others means of seeking answers or solutions. Definitely a faith that does not seek shortcut or easy spiritual practices that is magical oriented.
NO HUMBLE PLEAD GO UNANSWERED
e. Humility is the chief virtue of prayer, even when all odds are against your prayers. God´s pruning or trimming of our desires and expectations requires humble to surrender to his will. It takes a real humble soul and faith to continue praising, worshipping or following or obeying God and his commandments when prayers are not answered.
f. There are many psychological, mental, physical, cultural, social, and spiritual obstacles to why our prayers are unanswered. Hence, the moments of waiting are purgative moments to purify our intentions or to align our will with God´s will.
OUR PRAYERMatthew 15:21-28
Lord Jesus Christ, there are countless moments of our lives when our desperate callings and cries seem to meet unresponsiveness, silence and absence of you. Help us to always and everywhere persist with living, active, and unconquered faith to stand until the heavens are open and shower on us infinite foundation of mercy, grace and blessings and that none is excluded from your house of prayer. Amen
