REFLECTION FOR THE 20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

 

DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR MISSION

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Readings: Isaiah 56:1.6-7, Romans 11:13-15.29-32, Matthew 15:21-28

 

The gospel reading of this Sunday narrates the encounter between Jesus and the Canaanite woman whose daughter was severely tormented by a demon. Usually, the image of Jesus we know is that of one who openly receives people and promptly grants their requests. But in this passage (Matt. 15:21-28), we see a different image of Jesus; one who is seemingly unwelcoming and unwilling to listen to people. Some opinions hold that why Jesus treated the woman in such a demeaning manner is because as a Jew, he did not want the people to see him associating with a Gentile. But this is false because the Jesus we know is one who never discriminates either on the basis of class or race. So, this particular passage is not so much about how Jesus acted towards the woman but on how she reacted towards him. Jesus treated her thus in order to test the depth of her faith-conviction and her attitude teaches us a few truths about our faith and prayer life.

In the first place, in this woman we find one who truly cares for the well-being of those who are dear to her. Her daughter’s sickness put her in a very distressing situation. She was desperate to find a cure for her and we could sense her desperation in the tone of her voice: “Lord, Son of David, have pity on me” (Matt. 15:22). Today and in many homes, we have people going through different forms of afflictions- physical illness, psychological agony and abuse, trauma and addictions of different sorts. These people also need help and in most cases, it takes conscientious attention to details on the side of the parents and those close them to be able to identify the issue that these people are struggling with and to promptly offer the needed.

Also, she teaches us to be persistent and to always keep our eye on the goal. Basically, lack of persistence in the face of obstacles is one of the reasons why we do not reach the heights we aim or achieve the goals we set. We notice that despite the discouraging attitude of Jesus towards this woman, she never got tired nor gave up the fight. She persisted in following Jesus and her persistence eventually paid off. This is also how we are to approach God in prayer. Prayer is not a one-shot attempt. Sadly, we are living in a time when we desire immediate results and quick fixes to our problems. As human beings, we get discouraged when we do not get immediate answers to the prayers we make to God. But from this encounter, we learn that our prayer should be continuous, constant, fervent and persistent. Occasionally, the Lord tests our resolve as he did to this woman. So, we should keep asking, seeking and knocking in prayer until something happens.

On the practical level, we often set targets and make resolutions either of the things we want to acquire or the bad habits we want to part with. For instance, we get serious about losing weight, and then give up when the result does not come off fast enough or when we find the routines (exercises or dieting) discomforting. We set out to conquer a bad habit but we easily feel discouraged when we find ourselves falling back into doing the same thing we are trying to avoid. We should not let a single failure deter us from pursuing our goals. The seemingly negative attitudes of Jesus were enough to have discouraged the woman from following him or made her react angrily to Jesus, but she patiently endured the contempt and continued following Jesus until her demand was granted. Which goals have you set out to achieve in your life and why have you stopped pursuing them? The obstacles we meet on the way are not always meant to pull us down. Some strengthen us.

The woman was always focused on the goal. She knew what she wanted and she did not succumb to the challenges she found on the way. As we ourselves journey towards our goals, we will encounter distractions and discouragements especially from those around us. In those moments, if we keep our eyes fixed on the sunshine, we cannot see the shadow. Lastly, by identifying the woman as a Canaanite from the region of Tyre and Sidon, Matthew the evangelist wants us to know that this woman belonged to the group of those who were excluded from any share in Christ’s mighty works (Matthew 11:21-22). She was a foreigner and woman as well. But who she was and how she was perceived did not deter her from reaching her goal. By granting her request, Jesus teaches us that even non-Jews are entitled to God’s blessings. It is this same message that the prophet Ezekiel wants to pass across to us in the first reading. Our God is truly God of all nations.

Prayer: Almighty ever-living God, grant us the grace to follow you persistently without losing sight of our way and to seek you consistently without losing hope in the midst of odds. Teach us the values of patience and endurance in the face of disappointments and tribulations. Amen.