LAITY REFLECTIONS FOR THE 20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A
First Reading: Isaiah 56:1;6-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2-3;5,6&8 (R. 4)
Second Reading: Romans 11:13-15;29-32
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 4:23
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
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| Grace Ekanem Emmanuel |
MY REFLECTION
Key Scripture: And behold a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "have Mercy on me, oh Lord, son of David, my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon." (Matt. 15:22)
I am attracted to the spirit in the woman (the Canaanite woman) in the gospel reading of the day. She came after Jesus, crying for mercy. She didn't want to think she deserved the blessing. She didn't think she was good enough. She was only dependent on the mercy of God. She knew the mercy was all she needed.
Something told her that God's mercy could heal her daughter. Something told her that mercy could give her a miracle and she began to cry to Jesus for mercy. Jesus didn't attend to her immediately; He quietly ignored her. That was a moment of silence.
There are moments of silence in our lives. That is when it seems that God has no time for us; times our prayers have not produced the expected miracles. Silence couldn't stop this woman.
Do you allow silence to stop you? If silence can stop you, then you are not worthy of that blessing. Amid divine silence, she moved in faith, knelt and worshipped God.
Wow! Can you worship God when your prayers have not been answered? That's the attitude of the person who understands that mercy cannot reject them.
Hold on to the mercy of God; God will not fail you.
PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for your mercy upon my life.
By the mercy of God, let every valley in my life bring forth water, and by the mercy of God, I shall not labour in vain in Jesus' name. Amen.
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| Solomon Etsegbe |
MY REFLECTION
Justice and peace are dear to the Lord’s heart as numerous scripture passages show. But the more we yearn for justice and peace the more they seem to elude us. Acts of injustice rank against minorities, political opponents, and so-called anti-nationals, are increasing in our country and all over the world. Even where peace prevails, it is often an uneasy calm where all dissent has been suffocated.
In another form of injustice, which even we Christians may be complicit in, outsiders are rejected or exploited. This is not a recent problem. St. Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles made the Jews jealous. In Isaiah’s time, Israel’s leaders were fixated on the ‘chosen people’ status of the Jews, shunning all ‘foreigners’, outsiders and migrants. That is why the Lord made it clear: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7).
The Canaanite woman in the Gospel reading, was probably, not a stranger to injustice. Yet, she did not lose hope. Surely, Jesus, though a Jew, would not discriminate against her. Would he not deliver the woman's daughter from the demon? Her hopes seemed to be belied by his curt retort to her appeal (Matt. 15:26). Then her faith, persistence and wit won the day (Matt. 15:27-28).
May the Lord bless his words in our hearts always, Amen.
Shalom!
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