Tuesday, 27th Week of Ordinary Time

Matthew 15:21-28
The Daily Office

Before we get to the uncomfortable notion of Jesus comparing Gentiles to dogs, let’s remind ourselves of where we are in the story.  Jesus has just had a major confrontation with the religious leaders of his fellow Jews.  He’s basically thrown out their ritual laws as irrelevant.  These are fighting words.  Words like these will eventually get Jesus killed, but that time has not yet come.  So Jesus retreats north, to Phoenicia, which has never been a part of Israel, the promised land of God to Moses.  In effect, Jesus is hiding out until the controversy from his confrontation with the Pharisees cools off.  Another miracle, news of which would surely spread, isn’t exactly conducive to a plan of lying low.

Still, Jesus’s words to the Canaanite woman are harsh.  But from what has been said, it should be clear that while Jesus had a plan, he was no different from every other human being who has make adjustments in their plans as people and events intervene in unexpected ways.  He had to make an unexpected escape into foreign country where he would thought he wouldn’t be recognized.  He was a child of Israel calling his fellow Jews to renew their mission as God’s chosen people, to bring all the nations to faith in the One God.  Eventually the Gentiles would benefit from that mission.  And Jesus had already commended the faith of Gentiles (See the Roman centurion in Matt. 8).

But Jesus saw his mission as a fulfillment of the Old Covenant (or “Testament”).  And his heart ached to draw his brothers and sisters into this mission.  I believe that his Father sent this woman to His Son, to remind Jesus that his ultimate mission was not to one nation, but to all nations.  And that the success of his mission might not come in the way He anticipated.  So must we all recognize that all our efforts for good will find success in God’s providence and God’s good time.  So, when you feel discouraged, and clichéd as this might sound: Let go and let God.