Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 15, 21-28

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.

Faith saves

1. A woman. The woman in today’s Gospel is the image of a person who is not religious. She is not a pure Jew, but she is a desperate woman because she is losing her child, the love of her life. She goes to Jesus out of desperation and not because of religious compliance. She represents those people who are not involved in the church, they’re not religious but, in their desperation, they turn to God in their prayer the best they can. The woman is losing what gives meaning to her life: her daughter. Maybe she doesn’t know how to pray the Rosary or the parts of the mass, but she goes in search of God to help her in this terrible situation. Despair and anguish lead us to search for Jesus; pain and suffering are a way of finding God. Today, if you are going through a painful moment, reach out to Him. Look for Him with your own words; cling to Him any way you can… As it turns out, in a desperate search there is no protocol or bureaucracy, there is only a need for relief. Seek out God!

2. He said nothing. How frustrating for this woman that Jesus does not say a word in answer to her! How many times have you and I gone through a moment when it seems God is silent, that He does not reply? His silence can be traumatic for us. But Jesus knows what will happen, He knows your story. Let’s ask Jesus that we may learn to cope with His silence; that we may be patient and know that we are in His thoughts and in His heart. When it is the right time, He will act. May I be silent to listen to Him and listen to Him even in His silence.

3. Faith. The answer was found in faith. Her confidence and humility lead to Jesus’s great miracle. Faith is a process, and you must ask for it. Faith is trusting in the Divine when all our strength runs out. We are weak, but He is strong.

I want to take a moment to think about the people who take care of their loved ones in a hospital and have to spend the whole night standing or sitting next to them, paying attention to their slightest need. It is faith that their loved one will recover, that gives that caretaker, strength. 

I’m thinking of the faith of so many moms and dads who strive day after day to give the best to their children and their entire family. I’m thinking of the faith of so many who seek to do their best in life. 

Thank you for your faith. Thank you for listening to me; thank you for seeking God; thank you for trying hard every day and living your life with faith. Thank you for repenting when you make a mistake and for asking for forgiveness. Thank you for taking a few minutes with God; thank you for thinking positively, even if you don’t feel like it. Thank you for seeking to be happy. Your faith helps you in all this.

Remember that something good is on the way! 

God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.