God Is Winning Our Souls
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Matthew 15: 21-28 - 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.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 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.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
This can be a troubling Gospel passage for us if we don’t give it some time and some faith. At first glance, it may seem to us that Jesus is being cruel. First, he does not answer this woman, and then He makes what sounds like an unkind remark. But what appears to be cruelty is, in fact, great love. This suffering woman simply wants Jesus to solve her problem. And though Jesus also wants to solve her problem (and later He does solve it), He wants something else even more. He wants her soul. Not being a Jew but a Canaanite, she had almost certainly believed in many serious falsehoods, and this would be a hinderance her having true faith in God. Jesus confronts this crucial problem in the Gospel story. By the time Jesus does solve her problem, He has also done something even greater—He has brought her to a true faith in God.
This is God’s top priority: He wants our souls. God wants our souls more than He wants our comfort, success, pleasure, security, or health. So, God allows difficulties. He allows us to suffer. He doesn’t want us to suffer, but He allows us to suffer because He can draw good from it for our souls. When God allows us to go through difficulties, we must not think He is being cruel. We must give the situation some time and some faith. God is winning our souls.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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