Memory of the Saints and the Prophets
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Matthew 15,21-28
Jesus left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And suddenly out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, 'Lord, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.' But he said not a word in answer to her. And his disciples went and pleaded with him, saying, 'Give her what she wants, because she keeps shouting after us.' He said in reply, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.' But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. 'Lord,' she said, 'help me.' He replied, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.' She retorted, 'Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.' And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Matthew writes that Jesus "went away" from the region of Galilee towards the district of Tyre and Sidon (present Lebanon). These were ancient maritime and mercantile Phoenician cities, rich and flourishing. Jesus goes to this region probably to rest a bit and stay with his disciples and teach them with some calm. A "Canaanite woman" immediately appears. The evangelist want to underline that they are outside the Israeli territory and a woman who was believed to belong to the enemies of the chosen people appears in front of Jesus. The Canaanites were the ancient inhabitants of the region that the Jews had defeated and sent fairway. Maybe it is not a chance that the woman calls Jesus "Son of David." Certainly Jesus' fame had passed the national borders. The woman wants this good man to heal for her daughter who was "tormented by a demon." At the beginning Jesus seems annoyed, but she insists. This pagan woman dares resisting Jesus, rather she engages in a fight with him. We could say that her faith in that prophet is greater than the prophet's resistance. This is why, finally Jesus responds with an expression that is unusual in the Gospels: this is "great faith," not "little faith." Jesus praises the centurion in the same way, and they are both pagans. Once again, the Gospel proposes to us the essentiality of trust in God, which frees one from the anguish of trusting only in oneself and in people. The faith of this woman convinces Jesus to perform the healing. The evangelist writes: "'Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly." Not even God can resist a faith like this.