First reading Isaiah 56:1,6-7
I will bring foreigners to my holy mountain
Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest.
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.
Responsorial Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.
Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Second reading Romans 11:13-15,29-32
With Israel, God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice
Let me tell you pagans this: 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! God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.
Just as you changed from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of their disobedience, so those who are disobedient now – and only because of the mercy shown to you – will also enjoy mercy eventually. God has imprisoned all men in their own disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind.
Gospel Matthew 15:21-28
The Canaanite woman debates with Jesus and saves her daughter
Jesus left Gennesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He 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.
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What matters is our faith in Jesus
In today’s gospel, we have a Canaanite woman who was regarded as an outcast by the Jews. When she heard that Jesus was in the area, she went to Him and shouted, “Sir, Son of David, take pity on me…”. She wanted Jesus to heal her daughter, who was incapacitated by a sickness. Jesus did not answer her but remained silent, and when He finally answered her, He gave her an unexpected answer by saying that He came for the House of Israel. This courageous woman did not give up and told Jesus that she believed He also came to all people, not just the Jews. Jesus told her, “Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted”.
Jesus’ reply to the Canaanite woman is the crux of this passage. It does not matter if someone is a Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, young or old. The one thing that matters is our faith in Him. It is to have a trusting faith that knows that Jesus cares for us and does what is best for us. Today, let us entrust our life into His hands and tell Him, “Jesus, help me!”
Reflective question:
What does it mean for me to live with trusting faith?
What does it mean for me to live with trusting faith?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
