Readings: Jer. 31:1-7; Ps. Jer. 31: 10-13; Matt. 15:21-28
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
ACCEPTING THE SCRAPS OF GRACE THAT FALL FROM THE MASTER’S TABLE
Most in our societies today people hardly accept who they are. Today, people spend all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what they are not by seeking their approval. This is not the same with the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today, who, when she approached Jesus pleading for the restoration of her daughter, was not discouraged because her request was not granted immediately because of her humble background.
For Jesus said to her ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman persisted, kneeling at his feet saying. ‘Lord help me.’ Jesus replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
From this little story, it is clear that the woman was not going to give up, but kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, to the point of Jesus recognizing her great faith. The irony of this passage is that, in Israel, Jesus was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was being challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in Gentile territory, he met a woman who was convinced he was the Messiah, so he could not discourage her efforts.
But his apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, of which her great faith was proven by the acceptance of her humble background. She accepted the place of a “dog” as a Gentile in relation to Israelites being the chosen children of God to whom the message and grace of the Messiah came first. Hence she accepted that she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and grace of God for the sake of her daughter.
Dear friends, we must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not; let us first in faith, accept who we are and then work hard to improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God help us to accept who we are. Whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and ourselves and be determined because faith, determination and sacrifice are the secrets of any success in life.
Therefore, tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire, plan for it, and work every day for it; you will begin to see a different face in the things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they have done for years in private. So, let us learn from the Canaanite woman who accepted who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility and persistence. For the Lord will always intervene in our humble situations in order to elevate us as we heard in our first reading today.
LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often very slow to accept who we are and sometimes, because of our humble background, we fail to obtain what we desire. As we come to you today in humility and faith like the Canaanite woman, may we obtain your grace and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.
