Reflection for Sunday 20 August

Matthew 15:21-28

This story from Matthew’s Gospel reminds us that at the time of Jesus there were sharp divisions in society based on ethnicity. Matthew’s Gospel was written for a community of Jews who were also Christians and trying to work out how to reconcile the two. This story may show a way to do so.

In response to this Canaanite woman who is one of Israel’s enemies, it seems as though Jesus will ‘go along’ with societal divisions, stating that his ministry is for ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel’. This is despite the woman referring to Jesus with the titles of ‘Son of David’ and ‘Lord’. The response of Jesus to the woman ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs’ sounds harsh. 

But like in other gospel stories, Jesus responds to the sincerity and depth of her faith seen through her love. It is no surprise that such persistence is driven by a parent’s love. We each may have stories of the awe-some nature of such love. In this story it is the mother’s love that drives her to ignore society’s divisions so that her daughter can be made whole.

What can we learn from this story? Like the Jewish Christians after the death of Jesus, may we realise that it is faith based in love that helps us to see past human-made divisions, including ones that wear religious clothes, so that we can be whole; looking on the world with love will guide us towards being one people in God.