Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.