The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082017.cfm)
reminds me that I should have a strong faith in God, while remaining
humble yet persistent.
In the gospel, we see a woman
we should imitate. The Canaanite woman showed great
humility, persistence, and strong faith. This is one of the few
times Jesus actually “tests” a person. Usually, Jesus grants the people’s
requests – for healing from sickness and disease, from freedom from evil
spirits, even from death. However, today’s gospel shows us a different side of
Jesus. His approach initially seems tough. “ it
is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs”
– meaning Jews first, the chosen people. Sila muna ang tutulungan ko, tsaka na
kayo. Jesus
even compared her (being a Caananite makes her a non Jew, a gentile) to a dog.
Grabe diba, request denied na nga, tapos kinumpara pa sa aso.
Did
she stop there?
Of course not! It’s inspiring how
great the woman’s faith, persistence and humility are. She
was humble to come to him for her
daughter’s healing, and was humble enough to accept and not be offended by Jesus words. Even
though she did not get a warm treatment, she did not back down. Then we
see her faith, na kahit parang nireject na sya ni Jesus, she still believed. We also see her persistence. She did not just leave, when the
disciples sent her away, and when Jesus seemed to ignore her. She humbly
insisted on her request. on her faith. Sabi nya “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the
table of their masters.” Kung baga, sabi nya, OK lang Lord na kung tingin mo aso kami, pero may faith
parin ako na kahit konti, kahit tira tira nalang ng para sa Jews, ay makakapag
pagaling sa anak ko. And when Jesus told her that her daughter is
free from the demon, she did not say “Lord, sumama ka naman sakin para sure” or
“Lord, are you sure?” She just went home
Hindi lahat ng
bagay nakukuha sa isang dasal. Minsan kailangang magpakumbaba pa, magdasal pa,
at mangulit pa.
May we always remember to have complete faith in God, yet humble enough to know and accept that His will is perfect, even if it does not seem to coincide with ours.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank
you for the inspiring reminder. Lord, I thank you for reminding me how
important faith, humility and persistence are. Thank you for inspiring and
challenging me, Lord. I am sorry for the times I act like a spoiled child –
wanting things done my way, wanting prayers to be answered my way and in my
time. Lord, I pray that you help me have a heart like the woman. May my faith
be firm, even when you’re not answering me the way I want to. May I be
persistent in praying even when I don’t seem to get what I want. And may I
always be humble to submit to your perfect will, not mine, especially when my
will is different from yours. Amen
Blessed
Sunday!
In
Christ,
-g-
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 20, 2017
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 118
Reading 1IS 56:1, 6-7
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants—
all who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
for my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.
Responsorial PsalmPS 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Reading 2ROM 11:13-15, 29-32
I am speaking to you Gentiles.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,
I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous
and thus save some of them.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.
AlleluiaCF. MT 4:23
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 15:21-28
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus' disciples came and asked him,
"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
He said in reply,
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And the woman's daughter was healed from that hour
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