Cycle A - Year I:  

20 August 2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 56:1, 6-7

Second Reading:   Romans 11:13-15, 29-32

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 15:21-28 

God's abundant mercy!

In spite of our humanity, God loves us and never gives up on us. So we must not give up as well on our prayers and petitions. This is the message of the Gospel incident this Sunday.

We hear another beautiful and inspiring story of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and His mission to help those who come to Him with trust and confidence.

St. Matthew tells us about a Canaanite woman who calls out to Jesus to beg our Lord to heal her daughter being tormented by a demon. In our Lord's time, the Jews consider Canaanites as foreigners and pagans. Perhaps, this was why Jesus did not immediately respond to the woman's plea. Instead, Jesus reminded her that He came first to seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel, or the Jews.  In spite of this mild snub, the Canaanite woman persists, draws even closer to our Lord, pays Him homage and pleads, "Lord, help me."  (Mt 15:25) Some writers say that Christ showed Himself indifferent to her, not in order to refuse her His mercy, but rather to inflame her desire for it.

The woman's persistence paid off, and Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done to you as you wish." (Mt 15:28)     

In all the Gospel accounts, Jesus at times responds immediately to a request for help or healing. But sometimes He delays, like in today's story. But always He offers His blessing to those who come to Him with faith and trust. This shows that God has a perfect timing, which may differ from our own expectations.  Because He knows the depths of our hearts better than we know them ourselves. God 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 for His grace.

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 faith that the Canaanite woman expresses is an affirmation of and confidence in God's abundant mercy. Yes, salvation comes through Israel or the Jews, but it overflows for the benefit of all. The Gospel shows how God's salvation plan is unlimited. Although the Gospel is primarily for the Jews, it is also for the Gentiles.

The Gospel proclamation reminds us that we must keep faith, persevere, and approach our Lord Jesus Christ with confidence. Great faith conquers difficulties and obstacles in our journey of life. We, too, are called to grow in faith, to open ourselves in order to welcome God's gift freely.

Now let us pray: O God, I may not understand how everything will work out, but I trust You always. I don't see a way at times, but I know You will make a way for me. Because I have great faith that at this very moment You are touching hearts, opening doors, and lining up the right breaks and right opportunities to those who believe and persist. Even when 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!