The Woman of Canaan. Honor.Humor.Humility (2020-08-16, Sunday-20)

2020-08-16 _ 20^th Sunday

● Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 ● Psalm 67 ● Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 ● + Matthew 15:21-28  ●

DISCIPLES. DEAL. DISMISSAL. NEXT !

[_01_]    Right at the moment that the Canaanite woman appears on the scene with a request for healing of her daughter and with a profession of faith in Jesus, but before the woman can actually reach Jesus, the disciples intervene.

[_02_]     It’s important recognize that the disciples are not rebuffing her completely. They are just trying to get her “a deal” i.e., some help from Jesus and then everyone can move on. It’s easy to read the passage and see the disciples as being un-helpful. They are – in a material sense – interested in helping her. She is interested in not just material help.

          I say this because the verb being used for “dismiss” is not one that implies complete rejection, but one used in other contexts where the “dismissal” is also an act of compassion, in the way that a prisoner would be “dismissed” from prison or a someone who owes money would be “dismissed” from debt.

          (Examples in Matthew chapter 18, parable of the unforgiving servant, and one is “dismissed” from debt/money owed, or Barabbas being dismissed from jail by Pontius Pilate).

          The disciples just want this to be over. They are more interested in a transaction than a transition/conversion.

 [_03_]     Canaan.ANCESTRY.COM

          She does not want this to be “over”. She just arrived.

          Her arrival and ancestry – in the ANCESTRY.COM of ancient Israel and Palestine is important..

          As an outsider to Jewish faith, as a Canaanite, she recognizes Jesus as Messiah. She is quite insistent.

          The disciples are trying to “help” her even if they really just want to get her a “deal” and then move on.

GRANDMA

[_04_]    I’d like to compare the disciples and their deal making to an incident with my grandmother years ago.

          Just at the moment before my parents were to sign on the dotted line to buy their first house, my grandmother came to see the house and she even met the real estate agent to which she said this about the price:

 “Can’t you get this couple (i.e., my parents) a lower price, a better deal?”

          My grandmother’s request was heard. It is remembered fondly by our family. It had absolutely no monetary effect on the price or down payment or anything.

 [_05_]     My parents did, in fact, get the money together, purchase the house and we moved in a month later. My grandmother was very pleased with the purchase, telling my parents never to move, never to sell this 3 bedroom home with a nice front and backyard for the very high price of $38,000.

          In a way, my grandmother had faith went beyond the “art of the deal” – she believed in the house, our family ….

MORE THAN A DEAL

[_06_]   Getting someone a deal is not the same as truly faithful and loving relationship.

          The disciples are interested in the transaction or the deal. The Canaanite woman is interested in more …

          In this passage, the average disciple does not quite have the same faith as the Canaanite outsider.

[_07_]      I’d like to touch on 3 aspects of her faith which also are lessons for us.

HONOR. HUMOR. HUMILITY

[_08]     1^st .HONOR.

          We pay respect quite natural and easily to people whom we know to be powerful and influential or reputable.

          In a way, my grandmother “honored” and esteemed the real estate agent by attributing to him the power to reduce or renegotiate the price.

          Whom do we honor?

          One of the things we have learned during the pandemic about our own community, neighborhood and world is that there are countless unnoticed essential workers, some in recognizable uniform, some not so easily recognized in the supermarket, at a construction site, in a hospital …and not just nurses and physicians but also those who sanitize and clean work in building security.

          There are many people we are called to honor and respect even before they do anything.

          Isn’t this one aspect of real respect/faith/love for another person. I am focused on who you are than what you do.

          The Canaanite woman of the exemplifies love for Jesus even before he does anything.

          Are we not called to love and honor God and neighbor similarly?

[_09__]     2^nd.HUMOR.

There is banter and exchange  and humor between Jesus and the woman.

          Is there any humor in my prayer? Do we share with God only our hopes and fears and not the strange – and sometimes funny things – that remind us of who we are.

          For months now and longer for many of us – we have experienced great isolation and perhaps the inability to share with others just everyday humorous things. This is also a cross to bear. I remind you to have conversations with Jesus as your Savior each day, to explain to Him – in your words – what has happened. This type of prayer reduces our isolation He is real.

          [*** pause ***]

          Pope John XXIII was known for his good humor in his night time prayers in which he could recall many stresses and anxieties of the day, but also would pray, “Lord, now it is your church, I am going to sleep…”

          Sometimes, we try very hard to control outcomes or result. But, do we see the humor and lesson when things do not go our way.

          Monsignor Joe Petrillo – our pastor of many years – was very good at this, even sharing his faux pas of which this particular one was revealing.

          You may recall that Monsignor Petrillo also worked for the Archdiocese of Newark in the office of personnel and talked with other archdiocesan officials about the assignment of priests to parishes.

          This endeavor required Monsignor to do something he did not want to do – use a mobile cell phone, answer it give out the number and dial, et cetera.

          He did not like the phone but eventually gave in and had to take calls often from RCAN.

          One day, driving between here are Newark, he was talking on the phone and saw lights and sirens, police in his rear view mirror and was pulled over.

          In a perfectly respectful way, of esteem, Monsignor Petrillo said as only he could in his innocent tone, “Officer, would it be helpful to know that I was talking in a conversation on the phone with the Archbishop of Newark?”

          The officer’s response was also respectful and negative, “No.”

          Monsignor Petrillo got a ticket and summons.

          He did not object but he could also see the humor and irony.

          We are all called to see the humor and irony as the Canannite woman does in pleading her case.

         Faith is strengthened by a sense of humor, also of humility.

[_10_]    3^rd.HUMILITY.

We read many times in the Gospel, “the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”

          And, so, this may be our limited definition of being “humble”.  I’ll get my turn. You’ll get yours.

          But, humility is more than waiting my turn or trying to get a better deal.

          One of the things we have learned during the pandemic is how essential school teachers – of all grade levels – are for the formation and education of young people.

          And, we have learned how demanding and defining their responsibilities of teachers are.

          Many teachers have had to manage their own households while delivering a virtual lesson to students also at home.

          For several months, the experience of learning has been broadcast wi-fi into your home.

          And, in case parents did not know it before, they can see how hard every teacher works to engage children.

          And, in case children did not know it before, they can see how hard their parents work to provide for them, to give them a home and everything in it.

          It teaches us that everything is a gift from God even the things we think we earned.

          Honor God.

          Humor Him in your prayers.

          Be humble before Him.

          In this our faith will be greater each day.   [_fin_]