Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. August 20, 20233
Matthew 15,21-28
Rev. Neli Miranda
“Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Matthew does not tell us this woman’s name. He only says that she
is a Canaanite woman, a “pagan woman”; however, Jesus praises her for her great
faith. Why does Jesus praise this woman if in the preceding verses he rebuked
his disciple Peter saying, “You of little faith!”? Peter still does not
know who Jesus is, although he is one of the twelve disciples who has spent
time with him. In contrast, the “pagan woman” who suffers discrimination due to
her gender, ethnicity, and religion, does know who Jesus is!
In today’s Gospel, we read that Jesus and his disciples have
crossed the borders of Israel to the pagan territory of Canaan. They are in the
district of Tyre and Sidon, two cities located on the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea. Maybe Jesus and his disciples are going to a retreat after
an exhausting journey in Gennesaret and a confrontation with the Pharisees and Scribes. Despite being exhausted, Jesus and his
disciples do not have time to settle down because just after their arrival, a
woman appears and she shouts out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my
daughter is tormented by a demon.” Her desperate cry comes from the pain of
seeing her daughter suffering from a terrible disease. In the ancient world
many people believed that body and mental illnesses were due to a demonic
possession. So, we do not know what the girl suffers from, but her illness
makes her mother shout for mercy in the street.
At first, Jesus does not answer her, and the disciples intervene demanding
that Jesus send the “pagan woman” away because she continues shouting after
them. We should not be surprised by the disciples’ request because in the
preceding chapter they had asked Jesus to send a hungry crowd away. Sadly, today
some Jesus’ disciples continue dismissing many of those who seek his help. Isn’t
it our call to bring people to Jesus? Isn’t it our call to help them?
Jesus does not send the woman away nor does he respond to her desperate
petition. Matthew tells us that he only states,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Jesus is not testing this woman’s faith (as some have
interpreted); he is making it clear that he has been sent only to the people of
Israel and not to the “pagans”. With his words Jesus expects the woman to go
away, but she is insistent. In “pagan territory”, the good news of Jesus had
arrived before him, and she has heard of Jesus’ healing power, and she
believes! So, as Jesus advances, she blocks his path and kneeling before him,
she pleads once more, “Lord, help me.” Calling Jesus “Lord” indicates
that this woman recognizes Jesus’ divinity. But despite the “pagan woman’s” worship
and humble attitude, Jesus seems to be unmoved and responds with harsh words, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the
dogs.” In Jesus’ time, Jews referred to Gentiles as “dogs”. In Greek, Jesus
uses the diminutive for dogs, “puppies”. Anyway, being called a “puppy” is not
meant to be a compliment!! Really, there
is no way to minimize or soften Jesus’ discriminative attitude in this passage.
The “pagan woman” is unfazed by Jesus’ response, and very cleverly she
responds, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their
masters’ table.” Here, she is not negotiating with Jesus but
making a powerful counterargument that leaves Jesus with no more arguments. Since
Jesus has called her a “puppy”, she claims her right as a “puppy” to eat the
crumbs that fall from the table. In other words, she says, “Jesus, have you
noticed that even crumbs fall from the table for dogs? So, I am
going to eat those crumbs!
Jesus runs out of arguments, so he humbly acknowledges
that the “pagan woman” is right! Then, maybe looking sideways at his disciples
of little faith, he says to the woman, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it
be done for you as you wish.” Matthew concludes saying
that… her daughter was healed instantly. In the midst of a system of
exclusion this woman exercises her right to health and opens the door for
Gentiles and their inclusion in the community of faith.
Dear
sisters and brothers, what a powerful woman is this Canaanite woman who
challenges Jesus’ mission! She lived in a world that discriminated against her
in multiple ways, but she used her voice and creativity to claim her and her daughter’s
rights. She taught Jesus that even though she was a “pagan” woman, a “puppy”,
she was a child of God. Some
Bible scholars read this episode as a moment of conversion for Jesus. The
Canaanite woman called him to overcome his ethnic and religious discrimination!
In a world of multiple discrimination, the Canaanite voice sounds in
our communities reminding us that our mission is not limited by any
socio-cultural barriers, that we participate in God’s all-encompassing mission
that proclaim justice for all. Are we ready to take up this mission?
The Canaanite woman also teaches us that faith is not religiosity
but raising our voices to claim justice for those who suffer; faith is standing
firm in the face of the religious powers that want to strip away our rights as
children of God; faith is to be humble and persistent before God!
Are we ready to confront
the socio-religious power that discriminates against us because of our religion,
gender, age, sexual orientation, skin color, or socio-economic status?
May we hear Jesus saying to us, “Great is your faith! Let it be
done for you as you wish.” Amen.
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