20 Ordinary: 15/16 August, 2020

In today’s opening song, “Come, Christians, join to sing!” – we heard the words, “Loud praise to Christ our King.”
          Later in the liturgy we will pray the Lord’s prayer together and will begin by saying, “Our Father.”
          It’s hard to talk about the divine, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, without becoming a little possessive by using phrases such as OUR God, or MY Savior. . .
          And if we use this sort of language only to claim familiarity with God -- while fully embracing the universality of God – the idea that the entire human family comprises God’s daughters and sons ---- then we are on solid ground.
          But sadly, that is NOT always the case – not just in today’s modern times – but in ancient times as well – that possessiveness is meant to include some – while excluding others. . .
          This is quite evident in the Gospel story from St. Matthew which we just heard proclaimed.
          This is one of the stories that at least for me – can be hard to listen to.  After all, Jesus says some pretty harsh things. 
A Canaanite woman comes to ask Jesus to heal her daughter.
 
 
Now remember, when Joshua took over from Moses and led the Israelites into the land of milk and honey – that promised land already belonged to other people ---
the Canaanites – who from that day forward, became bitter enemies --- one group because someone took what was theirs and claimed it as their own, and the other group because someone was standing in the way of what God had led them to and promised them.
  So -- at first Jesus ignores this woman . . . Then he says that he only came to save the lost sheep of Israel.  And THEN he basically calls her a dog.  All tough stuff --- so un-Christ-like.
Yet, what Jesus is doing---  is NOT saying what is in HIS heart.  Rather he is saying and doing what his disciples and what all other Jewish people at the time would have thought.
Ignoring, dismissing, insulting – this is the common way Israelites, the Jews, would have treated Canaanites --- and, for full discloser -- certainly how Canaanites would have treated Jews. . . Theirs was a mutual disrespect and disregard. . .
The disciples were probably THRILLED with Jesus’ words and behavior.  That is – until he turns the situation upside-down, as he so often does, by saying to this woman:          “Oh woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”
Wait a minute, the disciples would have thought.  This is our God --- the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – not the God of these heathen Canaanites. . .  Why should our God care about them—when we certainly don’t. . .
 
For many people in the ancient world, including those following after Jesus – their God or gods – were NOT the God of ALL --- NOT protective of ALL, NOT the friend of ALL.  God is on our side – NOT theirs. . .