Matthew 15:[10-20] 21-28
[Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’]
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.
Reflection
Sit! Beg! Lie down! Roll over! Abe did all of these tricks. Then... Speak! Shake! More tricks. Tricks all for a piece of what was being eaten. A left over piece at that. A small morsel of the whole that I had already eaten most of in the first place. It was only a taste. But for Abe, the taste was more than enough for all of these tricks to play at my feet.
Jesus had wandered far away from the house of Israel. Far to the north in the land of the Gentiles. Jesus had come into their territory. The Gentiles had not come to the house of Israel, Jesus came into the territory of the Gentiles. It's kind of amazing that the woman even knew much about Jesus but somehow she knew enough that she treated him like a king.
The woman called out to Jesus as Lord and as king (Son of David) and she even fell to her knees as a sign of respect for Jesus' power and glory. Yes this woman knew Jesus but it seems that Jesus didn't want much to do with this woman.
And then... the woman begged! Sit! Beg! Lie down! Roll over! Yes, it seems this woman begged like my grand-dog Abe would beg for just a small piece of the food that I eat. The woman begged at the feet of Jesus for even a crumb of blessing from Jesus. And the woman didn't beg for herself. She begged for the healing of her daughter. This woman displayed love for her daughter enough to first, find out about Jesus and second, to fall at Jesus' feet and beg that Jesus offer a crumb of healing for her daughter.
This woman, an outsider to the house of Israel, knew more about the identity of Jesus than it seems even the disciples knew. This woman knew that Jesus was the Savior, the Messiah. The only Savior that could help her daughter in her illness. This woman who was an outsider to the house of Israel knew Jesus and had faith that Jesus could heal.
As Jesus enters the Canaanite territory of my life, of my heart, of the very core to my being; will I treat Jesus as a king? Will I see Jesus as my Savior? For I am an unclean man. I don't deserve a crumb.
But look and see what Jesus has granted to you and to me... outsiders... unclean... not of the house of Israel... Jesus has granted you and me not just a crumb. No.. Jesus doesn't just offer a crumb or a tiny morsel... Jesus offers himself to me and to you. Yes, Jesus offers us a place at the table. That everlasting eternal table of life where we all gather together as one... Gentile, Jew, clean and unclean to taste the body and the blood... the bread and the wine... the love of God in the Savior Jesus. Yes, we are offered a place at the table in eternity with all those that Jesus came to save.
Have faith! Have hope! Jesus has come! Come into your territory for you, to love you to death. Thanks be to God!
Song/Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVkih8oVULU
Prayer
Lord, come into this place. Come into my heart. Come into the core of my being so that what is in the midst of me is not rotten but pure and clean and living in the hope of life in you. As I kneel at your feet this day and proclaim your power and glory and love may I take just a morsel of your love and spread it all over the world in which you have placed me so that all you give to me may see and know your saving grace... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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