August 14, 2011
Isaiah 56:1-7; Psalm
67; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28
The
encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman whose daughter was suffering with
an illness offers a compelling portrait of his humanity. Secretly, people like
the fact that Jesus has faults as a man. They like that he is like them, not
above them, but of the same cut. It makes him more accessible. They can get
angry with him when he acts coldly to the foreign woman. He gives her a cold
shoulder and acts passive aggressively. He shows that he is still learning
about his vocation and is coming into a new self-awareness.
The
woman recognizes a special power in Jesus and calls him Lord. This is unusual
for a foreigner to pay him homage as Lord. She asks him for help and he coolly
resists because he does not want to bother with anything or anyone but his
mission. Her persistence causes him to reconsider his attitude - and thankfully
he changes. She forces him to do what is right. Though she reasons with him
about 'the dogs eating the scraps that fall from the table of their masters,' I
suspect that it was her pleading request to him to help her daughter recover
from her illness. No one in his or her right mind would turn away someone in their
heartfelt plea to assist a sick child. Jesus chooses the right action even if he
did not see it as being in line with his mission to Israel.
Many
see this as a 'growing-up' moment for Jesus. He is coming to grips with the
larger reality around him and with his awareness that the rest of the world has
great needs and suffering too. His heart warms to her as he affectionately
calls her 'woman' and is amazed by her faith. He comes to like her.
Isaiah,
in the first reading, mentions the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord
and have the house of prayer opened up to them. Our faith always asks us to
examine how we deal with foreigners - those who are different from us. Of
course, we have some inherent tension because when we meet someone new, we want
to make sure that our boundaries are respected. We are naturally cool to a
foreigner and we fall into a protective mode. This Gospel passage and Isaiah's
reminder to us tells us that we ought to take the risk of breaking beyond our boundaries
to receive the foreigner as a potential ally rather than a threat.
We
can easily examine our national policies about immigrants and those who want to
become citizens, but the heart of the matter is the way we treat the local
people of our world. We find ways to avoid people who do not retain the same
values or views as we do and we insulate ourselves from those who might challenge
our cultural assumptions. The divisive language of our political leaders and
talk show hosts reflect the views of many people who fear the foreigner or
alien. Our language tends to dehumanize anyone who is not like us. Language
gives us power over the other. We give our neighbor the cold shoulder -
sometimes with disdain.
Jesus
shows us that when we are challenged by someone who is different from us, we can
become enriched instead. New dimensions and possibilities can open and we need
them to happen. When we act out of fear we are not being open to grace. Time
and again Scripture instructs us to welcome and care for the foreigner. Though
it is right to be cautious of our safety, we can experience great delight in
coming to know the plight of our fellow sojourner. Our hearts can be warmed to others
if we break open from the constraints we put upon ourselves. Learn who you
neighbor is; you might be overjoyed with what and who you find.
Themes for this Week’s Masses
First
Reading: In Judges, Gideon (the lowliest in the tribe of
Manasseh) feels like the Lord has abandoned them to the Midianites, but the
Lord called him to save Israel from the hands of Midian. When the Lord accepted his offering, he built
an altar and called the place Yahweh-shalom. Jotham told a parable about a man
who anoint himself a king. The moral was to beware of your own ambitions; God
is the one who calls and anoints. The spirit of the Lord fell upon Jephthah who
vowed to offer the first person he saw to the Lord if he delivers the Ammonites
into his power. When he returned, his saw his only child, a daughter.
Heartbroken, he kept his vow and gave away his only offspring. At the time of
the judges, a famine occurred. Naomi's husband died, and eventually her two
sons died. Ruth elected to stay with Naomi and take care of her. She was
brought into the family of faith - with an unknown God. Boaz took special care
of Ruth for the goodwill she offered Naomi. Eventually they married and
conceived a child: Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Gospel:
Jesus says discipleship is demanding and entrance into the kingdom of heaven is
very difficult. He tells the religious leaders that the kingdom is like a
landowner who hires laborers at dawn for the vineyard. Those who negotiated
late are given the same result as those who agreed early - meaning that the
kingdom is open to those who come to realize the great value of the kingdom, even
if at a late stage. Jesus then tells the chief priests that the kingdom is like
a wedding feast given in honor of his son. Many were invited, but some did not
come prepared for the feast with proper honor and attire. When the Pharisees
heard the Sadducees were silenced, a scholar tested him and asked about the
greatest commandments. Jesus summarizes the whole set by saying radical love of
God is most important; loving your neighbor as you love God is second. All will
be worked out if you follow these commands. Jesus then told the crowds to
follow the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, but do not follow their
example because their practice does not follow from what they preach.
Saints of the Week
Monday: The
Assumption of Mary is the principal feast of Mary with her Queenship
celebrated at the end of the octave. This feast celebrates that she was taken
up to heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life. The Council of
Ephesus in 431 proclaimed her Mother of God and devotion of her dormition followed
afterwards.
Tuesday: Stephen
of Hungary (975-1038) tried to unite the Magyar families and was able to
establish the church in Hungary through Pope Sylvester II's support. Rome
crowed Stephen as the first king in 1001 and he instituted many reforms in
religious and civil practices. He built churches and trained local clergy.
Friday: John
Eudes, priest (1601-1680) preached missions, heard confessions, and
assisted the sick and dying. He founded a new religious order for women, which
includes Our Lady of Charity and the Good Shepherd Sisters. He eventually left
the Oratorians to found the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
Saturday: Bernard,
Abbot and Doctor (1090-1153) became a Benedictine abbey in Citeaux because
of its strict observance. He was sent to set up a new monastery in Clairvaux
with 12 other monks. He wrote theological treatises, sermons, letters, and
commentaries that dominated the thought of Europe. His writings had a
tremendous influence of Catholic spirituality.
This Week in Jesuit History
·
Aug 14, 1812. Napoleon I and his army
arrived at Polosk, in White Russia. They plunder the property of the Society
and violate the tombs of the Generals.
·
Aug 15, 1821. Fr. Peter DeSmet sailed
from Amsterdam to America. He hoped to work among the Native Americans. He
became the best known missionary of the northwest portion of the United States.
·
Aug. 15, 1955: The Wisconsin Province
was formed from the Missouri Province and the Detroit Province was formed from
the Chicago province.
·
Aug. 16, 1649: At Drogheda, Fr. John
Bath and his brother, a secular priest, were shot in the marketplace by
Cromwell's soldiers.
·
Aug. 17, 1823: Fr. Van Quickenborne and
a small band of missionaries descended the Missouri River to evangelize the
Indians at the request of the bishop of St. Louis. On this date in 1829, the
College of St. Louis opened.
·
Aug. 18, 1952: The death of Alberto
Hurtado, writer, retreat director, trade unionist and founder of "El Hogar
de Christo," a movement to help the homeless in Chile.
·
Aug. 19, 1846: At Melgar, near Burgos,
the birth of Fr. Luis Martin, 24th General of the Society.
·
Aug. 20, 1891: At Santiago, Chile, the
government of Balmaceda ordered the Jesuit College to be closed.
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