A Great Comeback
August 17, 2008
Gospel:
Mt 15:21-28
Winston Churchill was one of the greatest historical figures of the 20th century. He was also a master of the “one-line comeback” – that quick, sometimes sharp, reply to someone who is verbally offensive.
One of his favorite targets was Lady Astor – the “grande dame” of British society - and one of Churchill’s least favorite persons.
They were once at the same party and Lady Astor came up to him and said, “Winston, you are very, very drunk!” His comeback was – “And you madam are very, very ugly.” He paused and took a sip from his drink. Then he said, “But tomorrow I shall be sober.
Another time she said to him, “Winston, if you were my husband I would put poison in your coffee.” His comeback was– “Madam, if I were your husband I would drink it.”
In today’s gospel, Jesus is on the receiving end of a great comeback – delivered by a Canaanite woman. It is a story that tells us much about the healing power of God, the humanity of Jesus, and his mission to save all people. It also tells us that God sometimes appreciates a good comeback.
It was a bad time for Jesus. The people in his home town of Nazareth had rejected him. Then he learned of the death of John the Baptist.
When he tried to go off by himself to pray the people pursued him into the wilderness and surrounded him with their seemingly endless needs. The number of people following him was getting larger by the day - and their demands greater. Everywhere he went someone wanted something from him – and he was physically and emotionally exhausted.
Finally, he withdraws to the seacoast region north of Israel – in what is present-day Lebanon – where he is accosted by this persistent woman. The disciples are afraid that she will attract more people – maybe even the authorities – so they ask him to get rid of her. Why should he waste his time with this foreigner?
Jesus seems to agree. He says to them, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Doesn’t she realize that it is not yet time for me to minister to the gentiles?
Of course, she does not realize – nor does she care. She has a daughter who is possessed - and this gentile woman believes that this Jewish rabbi is the only one who can heal her. So, she persists – and finally he has to respond to her.
“It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Ouch - that is pretty cutting. Is he comparing her – and all other non-Jews – to dogs?
However, she has a great comeback: “Please Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
That response must have stopped Jesus in his tracks. I imagine that he looked at her - and smiled. In Matthew’s gospel he says, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” In Mark’s gospel, he refers specifically to her great comeback: “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” Her comeback showed that not only was she quick-witted – she was a woman of great faith.
Jesus knew from the outset that his mission was to save all people – Jew and Gentile alike – but he anticipated that the Jewish people - God’s chosen – would be the first to receive his message. Perhaps if we were not so exhausted he might have used a better choice of words. But we must consider Jesus – as we should anyone – not by his words alone – but by his actions.
Another explanation may be that was setting her up – testing her to see how she would respond. Whatever the explanation the bottom line is that the woman’s daughter was cured.
This gentile woman was one of the first to call Jesus Lord. She knew what she wanted from him and was not discouraged - even in the face of putdowns. She may have even caused him to reach out to the gentiles earlier than he had planned because of her strong and persistent faith.
She sought no privileged place in the Kingdom – was not a member of a chosen race. She was a pagan - and sought only healing for someone she loved. Jesus rewarded her persistence and wisdom not because of who she was – but because of her faith and her love for her daughter.
Her call for mercy - “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David” - is our plea too. All of us – Jew and Gentile, Catholic and non-Catholic - come before our Lord in our joys and sorrows – our successes and failures – to seek the everlasting mercy of our God. We join that bold Canaanite woman in calling upon the God to help us in our need.
He may not always respond initially the way we would like – at times he may even seem harsh. But if – like her – we are faithful and persistent - we may hear the same wonderful words she heard: “Great is your faith. Let it be done for you as you wish.”
It’s Impossible!
August 10, 2008
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33
Also read: Romans 9:1-5
Do you remember Perry Como? For those too young to remember he was a popular big band singer in the 1940’s and a television superstar in the 1950’s and 60’s. He lived his final years in Jupiter (Palm Beach County, Florida) and died there in 2001 – a devout Catholic, by the way.
One of his many popular recordings was a love song entitled, “It’s Impossible.” Do you remember, “It’s impossible, tell the sun to leave the sky, it’s just impossible…”
Well, I just learned that there was a line from that song that was very controversial – at least on Long Island. Deacon Tony tells me that many people there were very upset when Perry sang: “I would sell my very soul and not regret it.” I was living in Westchester County, New York at the time and I do not recall any controversy, but I guess they are more sensitive about things like that on Long Island.
However, I can understand how people would cringe at the thought of someone really being willing to “sell their soul” for a gal or a guy – or for anything. After all, the soul is that part of our being that will live forever once our earthly journey is completed. Our hope is that we will spend eternity basking in God’ love - but if we lose our soul the best we can hope for is probably to spend eternity completely alone.
Yet, in our second reading, St. Paul appears willing to sacrifice his soul. He says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh.” Jesus said that there is no greater love than to sacrifice one’s life for a friend – yet Paul seems willing to make an even greater sacrifice. He seems willing accept banishment from God in return for the Jewish people’s acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.
The word Paul uses is “anathema” – and it is a terrible word. To be declared anathema is to be marked for utter destruction.
Do you remember last week’s second reading from this same letter to the Romans? It is the passage just before this one: “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The dearest thing in all Paul’s life was the fact that nothing could separate him from God’s love – but to be declared anathema would do just that.
This is why I do not think that Paul was speaking literally. He was using a form of poetic license – much like Perry’s songwriter. Once he had accepted Jesus as the Messiah there was nothing – in heaven or on earth – that could separate him from the love of God. But, by even saying that he would accept banishment from God for the sake of his own people Paul was showing the depth of his love for them.
There were at least four covenants between God and the Jewish people. There was the covenant with Noah after the flood when God promised that the floods would not come again. There was the covenant with Abraham - the promise of a great nation. There was the covenant with Moses – when God delivered the law on Mount Sinai. Then there was the new covenant in Jesus Christ – the promise of salvation.
The first three had been preparation for the fourth. Paul felt that the tragedy of Israel was that God had prepared her for the day of the coming of the Messiah – and all the preparation was frustrated by their refusal to accept Him. It was not God’s law that was broken but God’s heart.
We must never take for granted the tremendous gift that is our faith in Jesus Christ. It is not only the promise of eternal life - it is what makes this life worth living.
Of course, not all Jews rejected Jesus. The earliest disciples, and Paul himself, were devout Jews. After his conversion, Paul began his preaching in the synagogues of Damascus - but when they failed to accept his message he had to flee the city. Rejected by his own people, Paul became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
This is the Year of St. Paul – who may have said that he was willing to accept banishment from God - but who I am sure did not really mean it. Paul knew better than most that to live without God’s love is just impossible.