It is interesting to compare this version of Jesus' encounter with the Canaanite woman with that in the gospel of Mark. Only in Matthew do the disciples beg Jesus to send the woman away: "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." (Mtt: 15: 23) The woman is clearly desperate and although she is not a Jew she is determined to gain access to Jesus. The disciples do not engage with her but see her as a nuisance. Jesus' answer also seems dismissive: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mtt 15: 24) He, furthermore, asserts the priority of the Jewish people much like what we heard from St Paul in the reading from the Letter to the Romans last week: "... to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs..." (Rm 9: 4-5) Yet, the woman persists and Jesus, after testing her again by stressing his ministry to the Jews, answers her: "Woman, great is your faith! let it be done for you as you wish." (Mtt 15: 28) In the community of Matthew, composed as it was of Jewish and Gentile believers, the message is clear. The Jewish culture and religion has priority and Jesus was clearly primarily concerned with them in his earthly ministry. Nevertheless, it is through their great desire to know Jesus, their persistence and their faith, that the Gentiles are able to become Christians. This begs the question about the Catholic Church today. How many cradle Catholics are dismissive of people of different backgrounds or ways of life, even wishing that they will go away? Yet, it is through their desire, persistence and faith that they will come to know Christ and be his disciples. Thereby, receiving from the Lord what they request, just as the Canaanite woman did all those centuries ago.
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