20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME A
FIGHTING SPIRIT
At first glance, we can
call this woman of today's gospel the woman of misfortunes! First,
she is distraught that her daughter is tormented by a demon. In her
helplessness, she turns to the only solution she thinks most
effective. She seeks the Lord Jesus Christ who is known for his
magnanimity and healing power.
However, finding Jesus
was not the end of her troubles. She seems to be ignored even by
Jesus and the disciples try dispose of her as a noisy nuisance. All
these because she is a Canaanite, considered below par compared to
the pure Israelite. She suffers a racist discrimination.
Even Jesus infers that
she is like a “dog,” unworthy to share the benefits of children
in the household. Was this because she is a woman, a person of
unreliable reputation and lesser dignity than men? Notice that men
who approach the Lord for healing favors are never treated the same
way. She suffers a sexist prejudice.
Today's activists,
bashers, and trolls will find in Jesus a favorite and justified
target. Here is a man who throws his weight around foreigners and
women!
Before we can make that
judgment though, God's Word invites us to focus our attention on the
woman – her persistence and tenacity of spirit. She is not deterred
by the initial indifference of Jesus. She ignores the stinging label
applied to her. She is serious to get what she wants. She has found
Jesus and she will not leave without getting what she wants for her
beloved daughter. No trial will make her back out of her desire.
In fact, the Lord Jesus
was actually trying to make this woman's faith shine for all to see.
His initial actions toward her were meant to challenge her, not to
disparage her. In the end, Jesus exclaims in admiration “Woman,
great is your faith!” (Mt 15:28). Jesus, far from treating the
woman bad, really wanted to highlight this faith that overcomes all
obstacles!
Do we sometimes think of
giving up on trust and faith when we pray? Do we allow trials to
slacken our spirit and beat us down? Let us pray for the grace to
become like the woman. After all, she was not a woman of misfortunes,
but a person with a fiery fighting spirit!
