Cycle A - Year II:  

17 August 2014: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 15:21-28

How great is our faith?

You may have come across this popular dictum: "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again!" It provides inspiration to those struggling with anything. And it seems that it has also a biblical connection.

Let us find that out in the Gospel narrative for this Sunday. We will hear another beautiful story of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and His mission to help those who come to Him with trust and confidence.

The Gospel story begins with a Canaanite woman, who is considered a foreigner among the Jews. She calls out to Jesus, to

beg our Lord to heal her daughter who was tormented by a demon. Jesus did not immediately respond to the woman's plea. In fact He reminded her that He came first to seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel (and not a foreigner like her.)

The story goes on that in spite of this mild snub, the Canaanite woman persists, draws even closer to our Lord, pays Him homage and says, "Lord, help me."

Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done to you as you wish." Her great faith in our Lord and persistence paid off.

Now we recall that in all the Gospel accounts, Jesus at times responds immediately to a request for help or healing. But sometimes He delays. Yet always He offers His blessing to those who come to Him with faith and trust.

We need to remember that God has perfect timing, which may differ from our own expectations. Because He knows the depths of our hearts better than we know them ourselves. He knows when a person is ready to receive a particular grace, and when we need to do or have something more before we are ready. 

So God sometimes wants to test our faith, purify our hearts, or grant us the opportunity to grow in our spiritual life so that we may discover that what we ask for is in union with His divine plan. In other words, God knows how to prepare our hearts so that we are ready to receive what we really need, and not necessarily what we ask for. That is why God's wisdom and love may look to us very puzzling at times, and even beyond our comprehension perhaps, but His actions always flow from the depths of His love and His truth.

The lesson of this Sunday's Gospel is that we must keep faith, persevere, and approach our Lord with confidence. Great faith conquers difficulties and obstacles in our journey of life.

So let us pray: 

God, I may not understand how everything will work out, but I trust You.

I don't see a way, but I know you will make a way.

I have great faith that at this very moment You are touching hearts, opening doors, and lining up the right breaks and right opportunities.

Things may look dark and bleak now, but I have great faith that my dawn is coming, in Your time! Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!