Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”]
21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then 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.” 23 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.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
"Let it be done for you as you wish”
This Sunday, the Gospel invites us to reflect deeply about our religious concepts and have the courage to sharpen them.
Preparing His mission's team, Jesus had a plan of ministry. God's love doesn't exclude anyone. Jesus takes the initiative to meet and heal the possessed man on the eastern side of the sea of Galilee, where he was outcast in Mark 5:1-20.
Jesus calls a tax collector (Matthew), who was treated as a sinner, to be one of His disciples. When people protest against this, He said, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" Luke 5:32.
As Jews, the disciples were waiting for the Messiah to be sent to the people of Israel exclusively. They believed that outside of Israel, there was no faith and no deserving God's mercy. They were used to calling other nations dogs.
Jesus was speaking to the disciples through this Phoenician woman. "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v. 24). More, He is going to use the notion of the Jewish nation, “It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26).
Jesus wanted His disciples to see the reaction of a foreign woman, who is supposed to have no faith and doesn't deserve God's mercy.
Her reaction of faith, trust and humility was acknowledged by Jesus, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish" (v. 28).
Two miracles were performed, the healing of the woman's daughter and, even more important, the healing of the disciples' concept about Israel’s relations with other nations.
Jesus opens the horizons of His disciples' hearts and minds to the reality of God's love. That love is for all nations and all humans, males and females equally. Every human being is created in God's image and likeness. All nations are equal in dignity and worthy of His love and mercy.
Inspired by Jesus’ spirit, St. Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:28.
Every human being, male or female, is worthy of God's response to his/her prayers lifted up with faith, trust and humility, seeking what is best for him/her and for others.
May we reconsider many of our prejudgments about others and have the courage and determination to correct our misconceptions about others and God through Christ with faith, trust and humility.