Is. 56:1, 6-7; Ps. 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Rom.11:13-15; Mt. 15:21-28
Jesus’ house of prayer! In the eyes of the world according to today’s gospel Jesus would be labeled racist, sexist, and misogynist. He denies the woman pleading for her daughter three times, first he ignores her “does not say a word in answer to her”, sexist, then he claims “he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, racist, and finally he directly rejects her “It is not right to take food of the children and throw it to the dogs”, misogynist. Do not be surprised if in our times the world will take these stories and use them to reject religion and faith in God. There is a greater truth revealed in this story that Jesus is about to demonstrate as the faith of the woman is tested. The greater truth is revealed in both a personal response to the woman and in a universal response to humanity.
In the personal response, Jesus says to the woman’s pleading “great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” The perseverance of this woman overcame the test of faith. How quickly are we to give up on prayer when God is silent to our pleading. The question in our minds is “where is God?” Jesus denies her three times, just like he asks Peter “Do you love me?” three times. This is the mystery of faith to respond to the Trinity. Do you love me in the Father? Do you love me in the Son? Do you love me in the Spirit? Who do we pray to, the Father, the Son, or to the Holy Spirit? Jesus heard Peter’s response the first time just as he heard the woman’s request but the totality of faith and love must be complete in Jesus’ house of prayer.
In the universal response, we often speak of scripture in the “context” of salvation history. In Jesus “time” meaning in historical time for all time is “Jesus time”, the Jewish community did not view the gentile people in salvation history. Jesus is taking this Canaanite woman’s pleading to demonstrate to the Jewish followers who he was “sent” to recognizing the historical significance of “the people of God”. We see in the second reading St. Paul speaking as the “apostle to the Gentiles” to make his race “jealous” for having rejected Jesus but through the mercy God is giving to the Gentiles he may “save some of them”. Here we see the prophecy of Isaiah manifested as “The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants…keep the sabbath…hold to my covenant…them I will bring to the holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer”. This is fulfilled in the Gentiles who will be his servants in his house of prayer.
In listening to Christian radio on the way to home from work the person said in a study only 37% of Christian’s believe in salvation through faith only. She then claimed to find in scripture many passages that supported the doctrine of faith only. In our first reading we see how faith is revealed in action and while faith is the first step of conversion it is not the “only” step in salvation.
Returning to the beginning of this homily, we see in our time a revolutionary movement to reject faith in God. While hundreds can gather to protest social injustice, church gatherings are treated as pandemic spreaders. The real intent is to prevent the spread of the gospel, threaten civil penalties for church gatherings, and force institutions of faith to adopt practices contrary to their faith or bring injunctions until they submit or are bankrupt. The revolution against faith institutions is spreading in the cultural war and we are a target. Jesus will again become the target by attacking the head of the church the body will disperse. Will we deny him or will we defend him by our proclamation of faith in action and enter into his house of prayer?
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