God's ways does not consist in sending away a person, but accepting Him/her, whatever may be the situation

Gospel Thoughts

*Ordinary Season : 18th Week - Wednesday*

*GOSPEL - Mt 15: 21-28*

*First Reading - Nm 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35*

*God's ways does not consist in sending away a person, but accepting Him/her, whatever may be the situation*

*1) Cannanite Women's Cry*

In the Gospel we see a woman who was crying for a genuine reason 

Her daughter was being tormented by the demon, and because of that, she had to face lots of problems

That's why she comes to Jesus crying  have pity on me O Son of David

*2) The Reaction of Jesus*

The Gospel is clear in expressing that Jesus didn't show any kind of reaction 

Since he didn't say any word in reply to the cry of the woman, its clear that He didn't directly respond to the the cry of the woman

But at the same time it is very clear that Jesus responded to the cry of the Woman in a different way 

*3) The reaction of the Disciples*

The disciples were in fact getting irritated with the cry of the poor. 

That is why they requested Jesus to send her away, so that they can be free without ant trouble 

The disciples mentality was to get rid of the problem rather than helping some one. 

*4) Why the disciples wanted the woman to be sent away?*

They throught that, she was disturbing the whole situation 

Secondly she was not a Jew. She was a cannanite woman, whom they looked in a different way 

The cry of the woman might have appeared to them as something nonsense or irrelevant

Once the woman is sent away, the disciples become free and there is no irrigation from any side 

*5) If Jesus had sent way the woman what would have happened?*

The woman would have gone with heavy heart 

No body would have come to know the depth of her faith 

No body would have remembered the cannanite woman today 

We would have lost the great inspiration and motivation from this cannanite woman

We would have lost one great incident of witnessing to the faith 

*6) God never sends away a person who is in genuine need*

Disciples wanted to send the cannanite woman away. But Jesus didn't want to send the woman away 

In fact the cannanite woman was in genuine need and with the same desire, she cried out

Such a cry didn't go waste. Finally Jesus heard the cry and did a great miracle for everyone 

In the Bible there are hardly any incidents where God/Jesus send away people empty handed for some or  the reasons 

Sending away is escaping the responsibility or frightened of doing something

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*