The Testing & Expansion of the Faith of the Canaanite Woman.
"At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
"But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
"Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
"He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
"But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
"She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
"Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
"And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour." (Matthew 15: 21 - 28).
Sunday August 20th in the 20th Week of Ordinary Time.
We heard the Gospel of the Canaanite Woman on Wednesday 9th August 2023.
Why is the Church repeating the same Gospel today? Perhaps because the Gospel still contains a lot of meat and marrow. I got fresh insight when I reflected on the Gospel again today.
I have been going through a series of spiritual trials and desolations for a couple of weeks. I was mystified because I could not discern from my behavior the cause for this.
Today God used the book of Father Timothy Gallagher: IGNATIAN DISCERNMENT IN DAILY LIFE - FINDING GOD IN ALL THINGS to open my eyes a little.
In our Gospel of today, Jesus was testing the faith of the Canaanite Woman. Jesus wants to take her faith to a new level. The Canaanite Woman passed the test.
God could NEVER say NO to any proper prayer. God promises:
"Ask and you will be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you."
Then God adds: "Whoever asks shall receive..."
In another passage God promises that "Whatever you ask for shall be given you..."
For God to say No to a proper Prayer will be DIVINE INJUSTICE. God is not capable of being unjust. It is one of the greatest lies of Satan to convince us that God is a Liar. Satan wants us to believe that God never answers all our prayers.
In the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18: 1 - 8, Jesus calls failure to answer prayers by God an act of injustice. Read the text below:
"Because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that JUSTICE is done for them speedily."
Jesus boosted the faith of the Canaanite Woman through Divine Pedagogy. (How God teaches human beings).
"Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
"And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour." (Matthew 15: 21 - 28).
August is the Month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary says: "In the end. My Immaculate Heart will triumph."
For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/06/immaculate-heart-of-mary-consecration.html?m=10
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