The faith Charming Personality of the Canaanite Woman

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eighteenth Week : Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mt 15: 21-28*

*First Reading : Jer 31:1-7*

*The faith Charming Personality of the Canaanite Woman*

*1) Canaanite Woman*

Usually they are considered as gentile. 

Jews would hate them and wouldn't mix with them 

Jews would consider them as great sinners and therefore, far from salvation 

So society had created bad opinion about the gentiles 

*2) Woman Comes for asking the Help for her Daughter*

The woman is coming to plead for favour from Jesus 

She is not asking anything for her. She is asking a favour from Jesus for her daughter 

We need to learn the attitude for praying for others from this Canaanite woman 

*3) Three times negative response*

As the woman encountered Jesus she faced very negative response from Jesus for three times 

First of all Jesus *did not say a word in answer to her* when she asked for a favour

Secondly Jesus said *I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel*

Thirdly Jesus said *It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs*

Three times the woman faced a kind of negative response 

*4) The attitude of  the woman*

The woman was not upset with the negative response

She kept on asking from Jesus in different way 

Apart from this she also did him homage. Homage means showing special respect publicly

This shows that she was not at all didcourged about the situation and the negative response 

*5) The Courage of the Woman*

From the Gospel it appears that she is the only woman in the scene 

Moreover she was a Canaanite, who could not come publicly to meet Jews 

She is the only woman and there were a group of Jews in the scene. 

Yet she had the courage encounter all of them in order to meet Jesus 

We must really admire the courage of this Woman 

*6) The Counter argument of the Woman*

Usually when scribes and Pharisees argued with Jesus, He would answer them in such a way that, they will not be able to agru any more

But here is a woman who gives a best argument to Jesus when he said *“It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs*

To this the woman replies *“Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters*

This shows the shrewdness of the woman 

*7) Asked for Falling Scraps, But got entire Bread*

The woman was not asking many things. Only one thing, that is, her daughter may be freed from the demon

In the final analysis she got everything

First of all Jesus praised her. It is a *U* turn in the Story 

Secondly Jesus highlights her deep faith, which he hardly found in many 

Thirdly, She brought honor to the entire Canaanites because of her deep faith 

Fourthly, Her daughter was made well. A important favour which she wanted 

Fifthly, she remains forever in the Holy Scripture, as a model of deep faith to the millions..

Sixthly, a gentile who was seen as having no faith, not eligible for God's salvation, became a champion of faith and to experience God's mercy 

How about me?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*