Homily
for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)
Based
on Mt 15:21-28 (Gospel),
Is 56:1, 6-7
(First Reading) and Rm11:13-15, 29-32 (Second Reading)
From
the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”
SCRAPS
FROM THE CHILDREN’S TABLE
“The housedogs under the table can eat
the children’s scraps’’ (Mk 7:28)
The Gospel for this 20th Sunday
in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) is taken from Mt 15:21-28 under the title “Daughter
of the Canaanite woman healed.” Parallel text is Mk 7:24-30 that says: He left that place and set out for the
territory of Tyre.g There he went into a house and did not want
anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognized (v. 24). A
woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway
and came and fell at his feet (v. 25). Now the woman was a pagan, by birth a
Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter (v.
26). And he said to her, ‘The children should be fed first, because it is not
fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the housedogs’ (v. 27). But
she spoke up: ‘Ah yes, sir’ she replied ‘but the housedogs under the table can
eat the children’s scraps’ (v. 28). And he said to her, ‘For saying this, you
may go home happy; the devil has gone out of your daughter’ (v. 29). So she
went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone
(v. 30). Footnote g says “Add.
‘and Sidon’, cf. Mt15:21.”
Verses 21 and 22 say: Jesus left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then
out came a Canaanite woman from that districtg and started shouting,
‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My
daughter is tormented by the devil.’ Footnote g says “Since
the woman has left pagan territory it is in Israel that Jesus grants his favor.”
Parallel texts of verse 22 are:
1. Mt
9:27 - As Jesus went on his way two
blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David’.m Footnote
m says “Messianic title, 2 S. 7:1+; cf. Lk. 1:32; Ac 2:30; Rm. 1:3. It was
familiar as such to the Jews, Mk. 12:35; Jn. 7:42, and Matthew in particular
emphasizes its application to Jesus (1:1; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30p; 29:9, 15) who
was slow to welcome the title because it involved a purely human notion of the
Messiah, Mt. 22:41-46; cf. Mk. 1:34+. He preferred the more obscure title ‘Son
of Man’, 8:20.”
2. Mt
8:28 - When he reached the country of
the Gadarenesi on the other side, two demoniacs came towards him out
of the tombs-creatures so fierce that no one…Footnote i says “The district got its name from the town of
Gadara to the SE of the Lake. The Var. ‘Gerasenes’ (Mk, Lk and Vulg. Mt)
derives from the name of another town (Gerasa or possibly Chorsia); the variant
‘Gergasenes’ is the result of a conjecture of Origen.”
Verse 23 says: But he answered her not a word. And his
disciples went and pleaded with him, “Give her what she wants”h,
they said, “because she is shouting after us. Footnote h says “Not ‘send her away’ simply: the Greek verb here means ‘let her go with
her request granted’ as in 18:27; 27:15.”
Parallel text of verse 23 is Lk 11:8 that says: I tell you, if the man does not get up
and give it to him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make
him get up and give his friend all he wants.
Verse 24 to 27 say: He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of
Israel’. But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she
said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and
throw it to the house-dogs’.i She
retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even housedogs can eat the scarps that fall from
their master’s table’. Footnote i
says “Christ must first devote himself to the salvation of the Jews
(‘children’ of God and of the promises) before turning to the pagans who, to
the Jewish mind, were ‘dogs’. Much of the sting is taken out of the epithet
here by the fact that Jesus is using a term blunted by repeated use; moreover
he adopts its diminutive form (little or pet dogs).”
Parallel texts of verse 24 are:
1. Mt
10:6 - Go rather to the lost sheep of
the House of Israel.d Footnote
d says “Hebraism common in the Bible: the people of
Israel. As heirs to the Choice and Promise, the Jews are to be the first to
receive the offer of the Messiah’s saving work; but cf. Ac 8:5; 13:5+.”
2.
Rm 15:8 - The reason Christ became the servant
of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the
promises made to the patriarchs…
Verse 28 says: Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith,
Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Parallel text of verse 28 is Mt 8:10 that says: When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you
solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faithb like this. Footnote
b says “The
faith that Jesus asks for from the outset of public life (Mk. 1:15) and
throughout his subsequent career, is that act of trust and self-abandonment by
which people no longer rely on their own strength and policies but commit
themselves to the power and guiding word of him in whom they believe (Lk.
1:20,45; Mt. 21:25p,32). Christ asks for this faith especially when he works
his miracles(8:13; 9:2p; 22p, 28-29; 15:28; Mk
5:36p;10:52p; Lk 17:19) which are not so much acts of mercy as signs attesting
his mission and witnessing to the kingdom (8:3+; cf. Jn 2:11+), hence he cannot
work miracles unless he finds the faith without which the miracle lose their
true significance (13:58p; 12;38-39; 16:1-4). Since the faith demands the
sacrifice of the whole man, mind and heart, it is not an easy act of humility
to perform; many decline it, particularly in Israel (8:10p; 15:28; 27:42p; Lk
18;8), or are half-hearted (Mk 9;24; Lk 8;13). Even the disciples are slow to
believe (8:26p; 14;31; 18;8; 17:20p) and are still reluctant after the
resurrection (28;17; Mk 16:11-14; Lk 24;11,25,41). The most generous faith of
all, of the ‘Rock’ (16:16-18), the disciples leader, was destined to the shaken
by the outrage of the Passion (26:69-75p) though it was to triumph in the end
(Lk 22:32). When faith is strong it works wonders (17:20p; 21:21p; Mk 16:17)
and its appeal is never refused (21:22p; Mk 9:23) especially when it asks for
forgiveness of sin (9:2p; Lk 7:50) and for that salvation of which it is the
necessary condition (Lk 8;12; Mk 16:16, cf. Ac 3:16+).”
The First Reading is taken from Is 56:1, 6-7 under
the title: “Yahweh welcomes converts from paganism”.b Footnote b says “The
oracle probably dates from the period following the return from exile. The
author’s perspective is not narrow: he proclaims that foreign proselytes ought
to be admitted into the community, on condition that they submit to the ritual
requirements of Yahwism.”
Verses 1 and 6 say: Thus says Yahweh: Have a care
for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my
integrity be manifest. Foreigners who have attached themselves to Yahweh to
serve him and to love his name and be his servants-all who observe the Sabbath,
not profaning it, and cling to my covenant -
Parallel text of Chapter 56, verse 1 are:
1.
Is 45:6…that men may know from the rising to the
setting of the sun that, apart from me, all is nothing.
2.
Is 46:13 - I bring my victory near, already it
is close, my salvation will not be late. I will give salvation to Zion, my
glory shall be for Israel.
3. Is
51:6-8 - Lift up your eyes to the
heavens, look down at the earth. The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth
wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants die like vermin, but my salvation
shall last forever and my justice have no end.d Listen to me, you
know what integrity means, people who take my laws to heart: do not fear the
taints of men, nor be dismayed by their insults (v. 7). For the moth shall eat
them like garment, the grub devour them like wool; but my integrity will remain
forever, and my salvation for all generations (v. 8). Footnote d
says “‘have no end’ corr. following Greek
and Lat.”
4.
Ps 106:3 - Happy are we if we exercise justice
and constantly practice justice!
Verse 7 says: These I will bring to my holy
mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocaust and
their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a
house of prayer for all the peoples.
Parallel texts are:
1. Is
57:13 - When you cry, let your hateful
idolsl save you! The wind will carry them all away, a breath will
take them off. But whoever trusts in me shall inherit the land and own my holy
mountain. Footnote l says “‘hateful idols’ following Targ.; ‘assembled (idols)’ Hebr.”
2.
1 K 8:41-43 - And the foreigner too, not
belonging to your people Israel, if he comes from a distant country for the
sake of your name (v. 41)- for men will hear your name, of your mighty hand and
outstretched arm-if he comes and prays in this Temple (v. 42), hear from heaven
where your home is, and grant all the foreigner asks, so that all the peoples
of the earth may come to know every heart,-you
alone know the hearts of all mankind-and so they may come to revere you as long
as they live in the land you gave to our fathers (v. 40).
3.
Ps 15:1- Yahweh, who has the right to enter your
tent, or to live on your holy mountain?
4.
Mt 21:13p - ‘According to scripture’ he said ‘my house
will be called a house of prayer; but you are turning it into a robbers’ den.’
5. Mk
11:17 - And he taught them and said,
‘Does not scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the
peoples?a But you have turning it into a robbers’ den.’ Footnote
a says “Of the Synoptics, only
Mk. quotes, no doubt deliberately, these last four words of Isaiah’s text: they
foretell the worldwide worship of the
messianic age.”
6.
Lk 19:46 - ‘According to scripture’ he said ‘my house
will be called a house of prayer. But you are turning it into a robbers’ den.’
The Second Reading is taken from Rm11:13-15, 29-32.
Verses 13, 14, 15 and 29 say: Let me tell you paganse this: Is have been sent to the
pagans as their apostle, and I am proud of being sent, But the purpose of it is
to make my own people envious of you, and in this way save some of them. Since
their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their
admission will mean? Nothing less than a resurrection from the dead!f
God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice. Footnote e says “I.e. converts to Christianity from paganism. Thus even as apostle of
the gentiles Paul is working for the salvation of his own people (lit. his
‘flesh’).”; and Footnote f
says “This sentence has been variously interpreted. The meaning seems to be
that id a comparison may be drawn between the conversion of the pagans and ‘the
reconciliation of the world’ (the first stage in the redemption plan), the
conversion of Israel will be such a favor from God that it could be compared
only with the final resurrection (the second stage). I this is true, Paul is
thinking of the general resurrection at the end of time; but he does not say
that this is to take place immediately after Israel’s conversion. On the other
hand some translate ‘life from those who were dead’.”
Parallel text of verse 29 are:
1.
Nb 23:19 - God is no man that he should lie, no
son of Adam to draw back., who feels regret. Is it his to say and not do, to
speak and not fulfill?
2.
1 S 15:29 - (And yet the glory of Israel will not lie or
go back on his word, for he is not a man t go back on his word.)
3.
Is 54:10…for the mountains may depart, the hills
may be shaken, but my love for you will never leave you and my covenant of
peace with you will never be shaken, says Yahweh who takes pity on you.
Verses 30 and 31 say: Just as you changed from
being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of their disobedience, so those who are
disobedient now-and only because of the mercy shown to you-all also enjoy mercy
eventually.
Parallel text of verse 31 is Rm 11:11 that says: Let me put another question then: have the
Jews for ever, or have they just stumbled?c Obviously they have not
fallen forever: their fall, though, has saved the pagansd in a way
the Jews may now well emulate. Footnote c says “Lit ‘have they
stumbled so as to fall (without hope of rising)?’”; and Footnote d says “The present unbelief of the
Jews is only a false step which God has permitted with a view to the conversion
of the pagans, 9:22; 11:12,19,25,30, and ultimately the Jews themselves; for
their own good God will make them ‘jealous’, 10:19, of the pagans.”
Verse 32 says: God has imprisoned all men in their own disobedience
only to show mercy to all mankind.
Parallel text of verse is that says:
1. Ezk
18:23 - What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man—it is
the Lord Yahweh who speaks - not prefer to see to see him renounce his
wickedness and live?
2. Ga
3:22…but it is not: scripture makes no
exceptions when it says that sin is master everywhere. In this way the promise
can only be given through faith in Jesus Christ and can only be given to those
who have this faith.m Footnote m says “Justification is a free gift: to receive
this gift a person must first recognize that it is not the payment of a debt.”
3.
Rm 3:9 - Well:
are we any better off?e Not at all: as we said before Jews and
Greeks are all under sin’s dominion. Footnote e says “Disputed translation: some prefer ‘what
excuse than can we offer?’ or ‘Are we worse off, then?’”
4.
Rm 5:20 - When
lawn came, it was to multiply the opportunities of falling, but
however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater…Footnote
n says “‘law’ without the definite article, i.e. a
state of things in which law is the governing factor.”
No comments:
Post a Comment