The Chruch of the Redeemer

August 18, 2002

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

It was a warm, dry Middle Eastern day, when this Canaanite mother rose early in the morning from her sleep.  As usual, she went to tend the needs of her daughter.  This was a daily task known only to this mother, as her daughter at a young age had become possessed by a demon.  Each day she washed, fed, and dressed her, praying that some god would heal this child. But healing never came.  She had spent many hours seeking the help of local soothsayers and spiritual healers.  But none seemed to know a god strong enough to cast out this demon.  So this Canaanite mother had become a desperate woman, willing to do anything to help heal her daughter.  Somehow, today would be different she thought.  She had heard that Jesus of Nazareth was walking through town. She had heard of this Jewish Rabbi, the stories of the miracles he had been performing along the Galilean shores.  She realized that Jesus was her only hope.  So in desperation, she swallowed her pride, walked out of the house and went to find this Jesus of Nazareth.  As she walked, she wondered if she would be worthy of his help.  After all, she was not a Jew.  The Jews she thought, are so religious, many so righteous, but most of all, they tended to be exclusive and looked down upon others, as if saying that their God only cared for them. She wondered then if Jesus would even consider helping her daughter.

            Upon seeing him, her heart stirred; somehow she just knew he could heal her daughter.  So she approached him and yelled, “ have mercy on me Son of David”.   But he ignored her.  She kept shouting.  But as she expected, his Disciples started to pull him away.  She overheard on of the Disciples tell Jesus to send her away.  “Please don’t”, she thought, I need your help.  My daughter is ill and only you can save her.  Then he turned towards her.  Hope again leapt in her heart only to be dashed when he rebuked her saying, “I have been sent to save the lost sheep of Israel.”  “I knew it,” she thought, as she crept in closer and knelt before him and begged, “Lord help me.” He replied, “it is not fair to take the children’s food and feed it to the dogs.”  These words stung her ears.  She knew she was not a child of Israel.  She knew that by birth she not worthy, not religious or righteous enough for his help, but she knew in her heart, that Jesus was a healer from God.  She also knew that if she could get but a crumb of that power, her child would be healed.  (After all,” she thought, “this is the man who fed 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.”)  In total humility, she accepted her position among the Jews and responded, “Yes Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table, and you are said to be a compassionate person, please heal my daughter.  I beg of you! I will do whatever is required.”  And then Jesus responded to her, “Woman great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And her daughter was healed instantly, not because she was a saintly woman, righteous, or born into the correct family, but because God’s love for her was true and all she had to do was approach God with humility and accept God’s love with faith.

             Since its inception, the Church has struggled with the natural human desire to be exclusive, trying to figure out who is in and who is out.  The story of the Canaanite woman tells us that even Jesus struggled with how broadly his message of hope and healing was to be spread.  But in that struggle it was realized that God’s love is for all, and as we hear so often in the Gospel stories, it is through our faith and our faith alone that God heals us.  And, it is our faith that connects us as brothers and sister with each other, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, white or black.  Amen

The Rev. Craig R. Swan

return to sermons page