4th Sunday of the great Lent 15th March 09

[admin]

Reading: From the Gospel according to St. Matthew 15: 21-31

Dear and Respected Brethren,

Now we are entering the fourth week of the Holy Great Lent of this year. In today’s reading we come across a Canaanite lady who came to our Lord with her plea to save her daughter who was grievously vexed with a devil. We know what happened. In response to her plea, our Lord did not give a word as reply and when He was compelled by His disciples, He totally denied and said that He was sent in search of the lost sheep of Israel. When again she worshipped Him and begged, Lord help me. Our Lord said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast in to dogs.” This answer also did not make her desperate. She, in a way argued with our Lord. (Ref Verse 27) And this caused our Lord to address her as a woman of great faith. During that very hour, her daughter got freedom from the devil.

Why our Lord addressed her as a woman of great faith or why did He appreciate her faith?

1) She had a strong and staunch faith that Lord Jesus could heal her daughter completely and make her daughter free from the bondage of the evil. She believed so even before meeting Lord Jesus. Her audience was intentional and not incidental. We always fail to maintain such a strong faith in our daily lives. Isn’t it? We know Lord Jesus as our savior, redeemer, Lord and God. Still what is the standard of our faith? She did not come and meet Lord Jesus on an experimental basis, where as often we depend experimental trials. In verse 22 we see her addressing our Lord as “Lord thou Son of David”. We must note that the people who had great expectation about the savior to come even did not address Him as Lord or son of David. How great was her understanding about Lord Jesus. We must examine and evaluate our understanding and knowledge about Lord Jesus. Let us see how deep and sound is our information about our Lord and Savior.
2) She did not care what she was. When our Lord said “it is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast in to dogs.” She did not get annoyed over this answer. She remained more hopeful and dedicated. Her argument was ideal to our Lord’s words and they were not at all against His verses. She found a justification for the saying of our Lord. We must imagine ourselves in her place and think what would have been our response if we were there in her place. There is no need to have a debate to find the answer. If we were there in her place, we would have abused our Lord and left the place immediately. She was confident that our Lord will not fail her or forsake her. Though we all know this fact, will we be able to stick on the faith like the Canaanite lady?
3) She was willing to identify herself as a dog of her master. In other words she admitted that she was trustworthy to Lord God. It is very visible in her answer to our Lord. She said “Truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ tables”. Could we adjust ourselves to the word of God like this? We often justify ourselves and get away from the will of God.

We must realize our failure and reasons for our defaults and must rectify them at the earliest. The lent and fasting is to be utilized for such corrections. Let us admit in our minds everyday and every time that Lord Jesus is our Lord and Savior. He will not fail us or forsake us. He is our good shepherd and so I shall not want. We must recite these verses in our minds every now and often. Then only we could lead a genuine Christian life as envisaged by our Lord and Savior.

May God bless us all.
Jose Kurian Puliyeril