"Strong Faith - Deep Love"  | By Rev. Jack R. Miller
 
In our gospel passage this week, we find Jesus traveling north to the area of Tyre and Sidon, two port towns on the Mediterranean Sea. The two coastal communities are in an area outside of Jewish territory, approximately 25 to 50 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. We are not told why Jesus would walk so far north or if he reached either place, only that he went out from Gennesaret on the northwestern shore of Galilee and withdrew to the region. Tyre and Sidon were in Phoenicia, a land heavily influenced by Greece, the land of the Canaanites, the original inhabitants of the Promised Land. Although tensions remained high throughout the centuries between the Jews and Canaanites, they had heard about Jesus and had followed his story.
 
The event Matthew records in our scripture today is difficult to read and understand. We find Jesus acting very un-Jesus-like when he first encounters the Canaanite woman, but the lesson for his disciples and for us becomes crystal clear as our story comes to its happy conclusion.
 
Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman was especially important to predominantly Gentile Christian communities. His healing her daughter became a prophetic model for the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians. The woman is not only a Gentile but also a descendant of one of Israel’s oldest and most despised enemies. But Jesus does not see in this woman an old enemy; he sees her great compassion and love for her daughter; he sees a loving mother; he sees her courage in coming forward even if she faced rejection and insults. Jesus sees a woman of great faith. Is our faith as strong? The Lord calls on us to show the same compassion and love toward each other, regardless of our differences, our nationality or heritage, stereotype, or label.
 
The Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel seeks what we all seek: to be acknowledged as good, to be respected as a child of God, and to be welcomed as a sister and brother to all. In honoring the goodness and love of this Canaanite mother, Jesus hopes to enable us to see one another as God sees us.
 
In her courage and wisdom, the Canaanite woman bridges the divisions of her day. Are things so different in our day and time? Her story reminds us that even if there are great philosophical, political, or religious differences dividing us, we are bound by a common humanity, and even if we are old enemies and do not like each other, we can still share a common table and a common desire for God's healing touch to descend on all those who are sick and hurting.
 
Most of us would consider ourselves fair-minded and unbiased, neither bigots nor racists; but if we're honest, we would probably recognize times we have treated people differently because they are somehow different than us; we treat them differently because they don't quite measure up to what we think they should or should not be. What we fail to realize is that God does not measure people by our standards but welcomes all who seek him in faith.
 
Jesus calls on us to break down the walls that separate us. He wants us to discover the Spirit of God's compassion, generosity, and justice that unites us as the one human family envisioned from the dawn of
time.
 
Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman should help us navigate the real or perceived divisions between us and inspire us to cross those boundaries that are obstacles to realizing God’s kingdom of justice and peace in this time and place. Let our faith be that strong and let our love be that deep.
 
Amen? Amen!