The Gospel of this Ordinary Sunday invites us to respond to the call of Jesus with extraordinary faith in the poor Canaanite woman. In this Gospel, Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman who begs Him to cure her daughter. Jesus initially refuses her request by saying, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs”. At first sight, Jesus' reply to this needy woman seems to be insulting and humiliating one but if we look at the background of the text, the Lord’s heart for the mission for the Gentiles will become apparent.
Let's look at some background material such as historical and literary context.
The encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman occurs only in two of the synoptic Gospels; Matthew and Mark. According to Matthew’s narrative, Jesus left Israel and entered Tyre and Sidon, which was Gentile territory. Jesus went there and he began to curse for the hard heart of less conversion. At that time, the woman meets Jesus both the Gospels affirm that she was a Canaanite woman.
Who are the Canaanites? Canaanites are those who were living in the promised land from the time of Abraham. Their history goes more than 5000 years ago, in the time of prophets, Canaan was also the object of the Lord’s anger as prophets always prophesied, “There is a word of the Lord against You, O Canaan, land of the Philistines” (Zeph 2:5) In this context of the regret and anger over the gentile nations, Jesus meets the woman. The Gospel of Mark says that she was a syro- Phoenician woman Syrophoenician means mixed race of Syrians and Phoenicians or Syrians who lived in Phoenician. (mixed race of Syrians or phonicians). But one thing is clear, she was a woman who was a gentile ignored by the Jews.
Jesus’ calling woman a dog should not be taken in the literal sense. Jesus did not call her in the singular, but used the plural: “dogs”. Actually, gentiles were considered “dogs.” The book of Leviticus chapter 11 explains that gentiles were not allowed to enter the temple because of their impurity to offer sacrifices at the temple, they were considered unspiritual so to refer to an “unclean” animal. Jesus did not refer to Canaanite woman individually but used a general figure for all Gentiles.
If we look at the original language of the text, Jesus used a different term to refer to the dogs here, in Greek, was kunarion, meaning “small dog” or “pet dog”. Usually, in the Bible, gentiles were called by the Jews by kuon ‘wild and stray dogs’ (Mt 7:6; Lk 16:21; Phil 3:2). Of course, gentiles are the dogs, but close to the heart of Jesus, they are concerned by Jesus. So, according to both the context and language involved, Jesus wasn’t referring to the Canaanite woman as a “dog,” either directly or indirectly.
The response of Jesus should not be understood as if Jesus is not willing to heal her. It is not a matter of food; it is not a matter of different people; it is a matter of time; when to feed the children; when to feed the dogs. The v. 24 will identify the children with Israel and the dogs with the Gentiles. Mark gives additional truth, Mark 7: 27 - “Let the children eat first,” the children are fed first; later the dogs receive the scraps. the relativizing πρῶτον. The issue is no longer the leftovers of the children’s food that the dogs receive later. The people are different; the food is the same. In the Gospel, food refers to salvation. Salvation is available for all. Israel are the first-born children, and the Gentiles it is distributed later.
The faith is the great issue here. In Matthew series of 3 verbal forms are used (came up, bowed down, said), there is also another meaning of prosekynei can mean “worship” the woman perceives Jesus’ divine nature. She is bowing down in a gesture of worship. Matthew is adding one more piece of information, the When the Canaanite woman approached and repeatedly asked for healing, the disciples were annoyed and asked Jesus to send her away. Jesus acknowledged her faith—calling it “great” —and granted her request (Matthew 15:28) which he could not recognize in the disciples whom he rebuked always for their little faith. He wasn’t using in a humiliating way, but rather testing the faith of the woman and teaching an important lesson to His disciples.
The verse 24 is typical Matthean verse, “I was not sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel” Who are the lost sheep of the House of Israel? In the Gospel of Matthew, They were the sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and oppressed among the Jewish people. For Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt 9:13). Jesus is sent for this purpose, to welcome the tax collectors, prostitutes, and unclean people.
I would like to summarize the Gospel: analyzing the Gospel geographically and literally we come to know that Jesus in no way used the words to insult/offend the poor Canaanite woman, but rather to test the faith of the Canaanite woman and by that teaching the disciples who always had little faith in Jesus. Salvation comes to the people of Israel and it does not mean it is close to the Gentiles, Jesus is sent to the lost sheep of Israel the sinners and tax collectors.
At the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, “Do not enter in any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Mt 10:5-6) Canaanite woman’s faith is a reward to all of us that God’s family is about to expand Israel to include ‘all nations. Mt 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing… Faith can move the mountains. Jesus is expecting the same faith from each one of us at the time of COVID-19, let us not be discouraged like the disciples often showing their little faith, rather let us challenge Jesus with our strong faith and prayer.
1 Kings 11:4-13 and Mk 7:24-30
During the Academy Awards of Hollywood Movies, Chris Rock, a famous comedian while hosting the show, Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Chris in front of the Media. It was because he was joking about the appearance of Will's wife. The amazing thing was, How Chris handled that incident of insult and humiliation.
Today's first reading and the Gospel are teaching us How to react in those situations where there is a confrontation of the Lord with reason. (of insult and humiliation).
In the First reading, The Lord is angry (only a few times in OT, do we read the Lord takes away his anger when Moses and Aron speak in favor of people). Here the Lord is angry with the reason because Solomon and his family turned behind other gods, idols and dedicated temples for their gods.
The Lord is confronting a SyroPhonician woman with reason (some may think it might be an insult who reads the text literally) Here the issue is not food or persons, but when to eat? children eat first and the Gentiles eat next. the sacristans/altar servers first and you next.
In front of the confrontation of the Lord, insults/humiliation, let us not be violent or discouraged, not like Solomon, but let us challenge the issues with our faith like the woman, 'Even the dogs eat under the table"
Every day the Lord is confronting us with reason, and we need to respond with our faith. Our faith has to undergo trials in order to go to the next stage.
Food is available for everyone on the table. Criteria is sola fidei. One who responds with faith will be saved.
Fr. Rajesh
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