It was a mother’s love that brought the Canaanite woman to the feet of Jesus crying, “Lord, Son of David, Have pity on me.” Risking ridicule and humiliation, all for the love of her daughter, she asked Jesus to heal her child. And Jesus refused her, three times. Was it because she was a pagan or was it perhaps because Jesus saw here an opportunity to praise the faith of one who was considered faithless?
The woman persisted, bearing the insults for the sake of her daughter and Jesus finally relented, “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.
What can we learn from this unnamed Canaanite woman? We can learn how to approach God, with humility, and faith, and persistence. God does not refuse anyone who comes to Him truly wishing to enter into His grace. Let us remember that before we dismiss anyone who seems to us a lost cause.
Jesus teaches us that his message is for all men, “for God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.” It does not matter who we are or where we come from. It does not matter who our brothers and sisters are or where they come from. All are called. And all may approach God with faith and humility and persistence. And all may hear “great is your faith, as you have believed, so let it be done for you.”
Pax Vobiscum
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Canaanite Woman by Joseph Jacques (James) Tissot. Tissot was a French painter and illustrator born in 1836. Although raised as a Catholic by his devout mother he fell away from the faith as a young man. He became a successful society painter in both Paris and London. At about the age of 50 he experienced a reconversion to the faith and dedicated the rest of his life to illustrating scenes from the Bible.