The belief that God’s blessings are limited to people of certain nationalities or cultures has been around for a very long time. Such belief was very much alive in the society in which Jesus grew up. The first thing the Canaanite woman teaches us, in our Christian vocation to reconcile all humankind to God, is courage. Her audacity and her refusal to take no for an answer finally paid off and we may remember this in our work for the common good. We can have courage not to be afraid to challenge prejudice and elitism. God can use us to bring justice and healing to all of God’s disadvantaged daughters and sons all over the world. The second thing we can learn from this woman is the power of persuasion and dialogue. When Jesus spoke to her in language that demeaned her people, she did not retaliate in anger but kept her eyes on the goal of her mission, which was to show that even non-Jews are entitled to God’s blessing in Christ. Her gentle retort forced Jesus to rethink His response to her request. She is a model of non-violence. Jesus gave in to her, saying, “Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.” And it was.
St. John the Baptist PNCC
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