The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Numbers 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35
Psalm 106:6-7, 13-14, 21-23
Matthew 15:21-28

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

If there was ever an intriguing, puzzling, and inspiring story in the Bible, this is it. Read it. Aren't you puzzled? Who else had Jesus ever treated in this fashion? He as much as calls the Canaanite woman a dog--is that the Jesus we know and love as Lord?

Yes, it is. What Jesus knew, how we cannot say, was the strength of this woman's faith. He knew that she loved her daughter so much that she would do anything to help her. He knew that she would stand up and publicly proclaim her faith and confidence, even when she had good reason to believe she was deceived.

Jesus would have saved this woman's child regardless. But what Jesus showed us here was the power of unremitting, unrelenting, unselfish, pure love. He was showing us how we are all in the position of this Canaanite woman, and all too often, we are more concerned for ourselves than for those that we love. Should we suffer a slight, or an embarrassment in pursuing our goal, we would more likely relent than continue in the pursuit.

Not so with the Canaanite woman. Her purpose was pure, her motive unspoiled, her certainty unalloyed, even when seemingly rebuffed. She had the invincible armor of unselfishness, of complete love of another. "Greater love has no one than that they lay down their life for a friend."

Jesus presented us with a human example of what the kingdom of God is filled with. People who are convicted, who are spirit-filled, and who are unafraid of being thought foolish in this world!

- JuandelaCruz
(http://floscarmeli.stblogs.org/)

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