One thing is abundantly clear from this Gospel, and, above all else, we must take to heart this one thing: this woman is not going away. She’s waiting, and she’s going to keep on pleading until she gets what she needs. Such is the nature of the Christian Faith. It’s no wonder the Church’s liturgy has us crying out several times throughout the service the same thing as this woman, “Lord, have mercy,” indeed, every time we come together for worship, we say those words—those same words—over and over and over again, for behold, we are the Canaanite woman here! We keep saying it. We keep waiting. We keep hoping. We, too, having the same Faith—that the Holy Spirit has worked in us by the Word, just as He worked in her—we, too, have gained by the Holy Spirit, the same persistence, and we must not turn aside either! Because, like she, we know, and nothing will persuade us to the contrary, that Jesus is the merciful Son of David and that He has come to shower this mercy upon us poor, undeserving, yes, out-of-place sinners.
Readings:
Old Testament: Genesis 32:22-32
Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
Holy Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
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