August 20, 2017

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time A Isaiah 56: 1, 67; Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15: 21-28 I grew up in a largely Catholic community in Syracuse, New York. Our parish church, St. Anthony of Padua, was huge and all the weekend masses were crowded. There were 1200 students grades K - 12; 800 in the Grammar School and 400 in the High School. Families for generations had attended the school and we knew each other. Every Tuesday afternoon Religious Education classes were held for those who went to public schools. For some reason, I just didn’t think that they were ‘full Catholics.’ We knew everyone in our neighborhood. I was never really exposed to people of other faiths, except on the sports fields. I would sum up that I just felt that the ‘Catholic way’ was the ‘right way’; no question about it. One of the remarkable teachings of Jesus was that God loves all people. God loves them and cares for them. All are God's children…with no exceptions. The readings today show the tensions our ancestors in faith had with this and how petty and useless many of our squabbles can be. The first reading is taken from the prophet Isaiah who is considered the greatest of the prophets. He wrote at the second half of the eighth century BC at a critical time in Israel’s history. The northern kingdom had collapsed to Assyria (722) and the southern kingdom would be under intermittent attacks. Isaiah received his call to the prophetic office in the Temple of Jerusalem. His constant teaching was for the people to embrace God’s saving plan. Sincere service to God leads to the prosperity and peace only God can give. The people must step away from their own pride and the way they see things and recognize that their true purpose is to serve the interest of God. I wonder how present this is today, I know I struggle with this. Isaiah sets the theme immediately today, “Observe what is right, do what is just.” They are to “Make justice your aim….” as Isaiah started out. (Is 1:17). What is remarkable here is that all nations are invited to join God’s people in serving the Lord. Already in the Book of Leviticus (22: 18-25) the sacrifices of foreigners were acceptable to God. Now Isaiah teaches that foreigners were invited to ‘join themselves to the Lord.’ Anyone is welcome to become a member of the people of God. This got lost through the centuries leading up to Jesus. Paul is sharing in his letter to the Romans that his concern is not with ‘foreigners’, it was his own people. He hopes that his being the ‘Apostle to Gentiles’ will make his fellow Israelites so jealous that they will also embrace the Gospel of Jesus. He shares how the Gentiles received God’s gift of mercy even though they were once unbelievers. Will the people of Israel also experience God’s mercy too? God did choose them…have they chosen God or the God that they want to believe in and accept? We all have a tendency to pigeon hole God into the God that we want Him to be. Paul Coutinho S.J. is a theologian, spiritual director, lecturer has written a marvelous book, How Big is Your God? I totally recommend this book. He shows how God is constantly calling us into deeper union and communion. How big is my God? Does my God have limits as to who He likes or is willing to help? Do I have the will to experience God who cares for each person, even my ‘enemy’, as deeply as He cares for me? Paul sums up today’s reading to the Romans, “…for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?” Do I believe and live this? A very heated debate was going on in Matthew’s community at the time of this Gospel. It focused on whether Gentiles and the Jewish converts could coexist in the same community. So Matthew edits Mark’s original story about a Syro-Phoenician mother so that the woman is now a Canaanite, Israel’s dreaded enemy. This woman comes out to meet Jesus in Gentile territory and petitions Him to heal her daughter who is tormented by a demon. Jesus was Jewish and He assumes the role expected of a Jew by ignoring the woman, thus affirming His own Jewish mission. Notice that Jesus’ disciples as would many of the Jewish Christians in Matthew’s community want the woman sent away. The woman will not leave even when Jesus says, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” She comes right back with a clever response “Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Jesus remarks, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” She is convinced that Jesus, the Lord and the Son of David, is the one who can help her. The lesson: Faith crosses all barriers, embracing all peoples. The woman came and was rejected even by Jesus’ disciples. The people in Matthew’s community felt that they were in the right…they had the pure form of Christianity, they were the true followers of Jesus. The Jewish community felt that they were the Promised people in the Promised land. They knew the right way to God. In our society there are countless people who are rejected because of poverty, age, illness, race, nationality, beliefs, religion, sexual preference. People divide themselves into the ‘in group’ and they place whomever they disagree with into the ‘out group.’ So I reflect on: • Do I find myself judging the faith of others, trying to determine how worthy they are of heaven? Can I ever really know the depth of another’s faith? • What is my response to those in my parish, school, work site, community who have had abortions, are ex-convicts, have AIDS, are Muslims, or are ‘different,' or others whom some people deem unacceptable? • Who do I feel are the ‘lost sheep’ in my area? Do I reach out to them? • What experiences have I had living in another culture? How have these experiences influenced my understanding of the richness in diversity? • Street people are not the only outcasts in society. Who would I label in this category? • Who is the ‘Hatfield to your McCoy’ or the enemy with whom I can’t imagine reconciling? Can I envision them in heaven? • Do I look to where God has surprised me and brought healing where I least expected? Sacred Space 2017 states: “This is an extraordinary story. While the woman stands her ground, Jesus changes His position. Perhaps He Himself comes to a fuller understanding of His own mission as He watches and listens to the Canaanite woman. Is there anyone I judge too hastily? He did not answer her at all. It would have been easy for this woman to give up in bitterness. She feels terribly handicapped: a woman alone in a man’s world; a Gentile and therefore unclean; and with an afflicted daughter. But in spite of Jesus’ silence she trusts Him, Keeps at Him, and bests Him in debate. Lord, may I never be discouraged by Your silence.”