8/9/2023 (Wednesday) Today’s gospel reading: Matthew 15:21-28

21 At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
23 But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
24 He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26 He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”
27 She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
28 Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

8/9/2023 (Wednesday) Today’s gospel reflection: Matthew 15:21-28

In the gospel reading above, we see the disciples of Jesus trying to send away the unnamed Canaanite woman. They were irritated by her loud voice but perhaps the more important reason is that the woman is a Canaanite who doesn’t belong to the Chosen People. Were it not for the woman’s persistence, she could have been silenced and went home dismayed and bitter.

Many of us are like these disciples. We tend to be dismissive of people especially those who do not belong to our group. No one wants to be disturbed. We all want to stay comfortable as much as possible. Yet it is our mission to bring people to Jesus. So we must be willing to get out of our comfort zones and go to the countryside, to the region of “Tyre and Sidon” where we can be exposed to all kinds of people, especially the last, the least, and the lost. They are the fish that must be caught in our net. Aren’t we called to become “fishers of men”?

Indeed, we can’t afford to let our church including subgroups and Christian communities to become exclusive clubs. Let us therefore continue to pray that more and more people will have the compassion and the missionary zeal to reach out to those who are in need like the Canaanite woman.

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