Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 4, 2021
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 he did not say a word in answer to her.
His 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 him 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 her daughter was healed from that hour.
At first blush, this reading may seem uncomfortable or unsettling—it was for me. The Canaanite woman appears to be an outsider, one compared to a dog scrounging after scraps underneath the table. However, upon closer reading, we see many fruits in her interaction with Jesus—fruits that, when reflected upon, can nurture and deepen our relationship with the Lord.
The woman, considered outside of “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” is not immediately aided by Jesus or his disciples. However, she does not give up hope and instead continues to approach the Lord and trust in his mercy. She humbles herself before him, leading Jesus to pronounce her one of great faith.
What can this teach us about our relationship with the Lord? It is so easy for us to face setbacks and immediately lose faith and trust in him. We may regress in our prayer lives, plagued by aridity and weakness of spirit, convinced that our prayers and petitions remain unanswered. Nevertheless, it is in our moments of weakness that we can begin again and continue forward on our life-long path of conversion.
We can use St. John Vianney as a wonderful example of spiritual perseverance. He struggled with his studies growing up and was told by his instructors he could not ascend to the priesthood. Against all odds, he was ordained in 1815 and shortly became one of the greatest confessors in Church history—sometimes remaining in the confessional for up to 16 hours, subsisting on boiled potatoes and several hours of disturbed sleep. Now a great saint, St. John Vianney should motivate us all, regardless of perceived status or capability, to have an abundant faith in God’s mercy and love.
Let us ask Jesus today to make us more humble, more persevering, and more confident in his mercy.
Prayer
Blessed are you, O Lord our God. Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, promised that people of all races or cultural backgrounds will be blessed in their persistent faith in your divine power and compassion. May we in our prayer also be so blessed as to receive those spiritual gifts that will assist us in giving you honor and glory. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.