Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
WHEN
YOU ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE, GOD BRINGS THE BEST IN YOU AND PLACE YOU WHERE YOU
TRULY BELONG
Most
people in our society today, hardly accept who they are. For some people spent
all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what or who they
are even when they are not, just to seek recognition and approval. Some even go
as far as changing their identity, just for the sake of belonging to a
particular class or to obtain favour or job opportunities. This is not the same
with the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today, who when approached Jesus
pleading for the restoration of her daughter was not granted immediately
because of her humble background.
For
Jesus said to her ‘I was sent only to
the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman persisted, kneeling at
his feet saying. ‘Lord help me.’ Jesus replied, ‘It is not fair to take the
children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir;
but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’
Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be
granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
From
this little story, it is clear that the woman was not going to give up, but
kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, to the point of Jesus
recognizing her great faith. The irony of this passage is that, in Israel Jesus
was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was challenged to
prove it with a sign. But here in the Gentile territory he met a woman who was
convinced he was the Messiah and he could not discourage her efforts.
For
this apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, of which her great faith
was confirmed by the acceptance of her humble background. Some people suggested
that Jesus had been a racist and this woman changed him, but that’s not the
case here, because Jesus was actually at the Gentile territory of Tyre and
Sidon which are the two main Phoenician cities better known as Canaanitish
tribes, which is an amalgamation of different groups of people known as the
Canaanites living in the land of Canaan.
Therefore
we can understand better why the woman accepted the place of a “dog” as a
Gentile in relation to Israelites been the chosen children of God, to whom the
message and grace of the Messiah came first. Hence she accepted that she may
not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but
she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and
grace of God for the sake of her daughter.
In
this dramatical gesture, she demonstrated her submission to the historical
privilege of Israel as the chosen people of God over the Gentiles, as she wishes
to partake from the grace that is freely given to the Gentiles which the Jews
have rejected.
This
was one of the background behind Paul’s missionary journey when he turned to
Gentiles because the Jews have rejected the message of Jesus as the Messiah.
Just as we heard him saying in our second reading today, “I have been sent to
the pagans as their apostle, and I am proud of being sent, but the purpose of
it is to make my own people envious of you, and in this way save some of them.
Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what
their admission will mean? Nothing less than a resurrection from the dead! For
God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.
Therefore
we have to change from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of
our disobedience, so that those who are disobedient now, are so only because of
the mercy shown to you, of which they will also enjoy mercy eventually if
turned back to God. For God has imprisoned all men in their own disobedience
only to show mercy to all humanity”.
Therefore,
the event in the story of the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today can
be interpreted as part of the development of redemptive history, moving from
the event of the Old Testament towards the missionary activities of the New
Testament, of which God through prophet Isaiah in our first reading today, made
us to understand this development.
This
is clear when he said: “foreigners who
have attached themselves to the Lord, to serve him and to love his name and be
his servants, all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my
covenant, these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my
house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my
altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples”.
This concept truly describe the Christian
understanding of the relationship between the Gentiles and Jews, and the Church
as universal, that is, open for all who wish to embrace God’s kingdom. Even
though the kingdom had to be fully offered first to the Jews, in fulfillment of
the Old Testament prophecies of the kingdom. However, since they have rejected
it, then it has to be made open to all.
That
is why Jesus went into Gentile territory and did this miracle for this Gentile
woman in a dramatical way that is different from the other miracles in the
Jewish territory, which shows also the willingness of the Gentiles to embrace
the faith. And in this woman, Jesus affirms that there are Gentiles who had
greater faith than the Jews who were rejecting and challenging his teachings.
Hence, this passage teaches us about God’s grace that he offers to all humanity
and faith of the people who are willing to embrace his salvation.
Dear
friends, we must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not, let
us first in faith humble ourselves and accept who we are, then, work hard to
improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God
help us to accept our present condition in order to look forward to who we will
be in the future.
For
when we accept who we are, God brings out the best in us and places us where we
truly belong. So, whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and in
ourselves, and be determined, because, faith, determination, sacrifice and
persistency are the secrets of any success in life.
Therefore,
tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire, when you plan for
it, work persistently for it, you will begin to see a different face in the
things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they
do for years in private. So, let us learn from the Canaanite woman who accepted
who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility
and persistency.
LET US
PRAY: Heavenly Father, the Canaanite woman accepted her humble background with
great faith in your Son Jesus, as we humbly make a leap of faith today, with
determination, sacrifice and persistency towards our dreams in life, may you
grant our hearts desires. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a
blessed Sunday.
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