To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 31:1-7; Mt 15:21-28
The story of
the healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman is our text for today. This
story is found also in Mark 7,24-30, but Mark identifies the woman as a
Syrophoenician. Matthew’s mention of “Tyre and Sidon” (Mark has only Tyre) and
identifying the woman as a Canaanite results in an emphasis that Jesus has
entered Gentile territory. This is also emphasised by the fact that Matthew
does not have Jesus enter a house (like Mark does). In Matthew, Jesus does not
enter the houses of Gentiles. The woman still addresses him with the title that
only believers use in Matthew namely “Lord”. Despite an initial rejection, the
woman perseveres in her request and continues to address Jesus as Lord. Jesus’
direct response to the woman is harsh and must be interpreted as a rejection.
The analogy is indeed strong. However, the woman seems undeterred, and for the
third time addresses Jesus as Lord, and continues to plead her cause. Jesus
interprets such perseverance as “great faith”, and immediately heals the
woman’s daughter even from a distance.
The woman shows not only perseverance and faith but also the ability not to let words get her down. The harsh words of Jesus spoken not in jest or with a twinkle in his eye (because nothing in the text warrants such an explanation) would have resulted in a lesser person treating it as an affront. The woman does not such thing. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it. She knows that while sticks and stones may break her bones, words can never hurt her.
JOIN ME IN PRAYER EVERYDAY. We will pray for a different intention each day. It is possible that one or other may refer to you or a member of your family. We are ONE HUMAN Community, and even if God is known by different names, God remains God.
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 30:1-2,12-15,18-22; Mt 14:22-36
The text of
today appears immediately after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand
(14,13-21). For the first time in Matthew, the disciples are sent forth without
Jesus. This is also the first time in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus is
depicted as praying. Many see the boat in which the disciples are is by as
representing the church and here it is battered by the waves. Despite the
seeming impossibility of Jesus being able to reach them, he comes to them in
the darkest part of the night i.e. between 3.00 and 6.00 a.m. By walking on the
water, Matthew is not portraying Jesus as defying the law of gravity, but
subduing the chaos of the waters. Jesus does what only God can do (Job 9,8;
38,16; Ps 77,19 etc), and announces himself as “I am” which is reminiscent of
the name God used to identify himself in Exodus 3,15. The second part of this
pericope in which Peter asks Jesus to allow him to come to him is exclusive to
Matthew. Peter addresses Jesus as believers do in Matthew by using the
title “Lord”. The point that Matthew seems to be making is not only that Peter
took his eyes off Jesus and so began to sink, but also that by leaving the
boat, he indicated that he wanted proof of the presence of Jesus. Peter
cries out with a prayer, “Lord, save me”, and Jesus reaches out and saves him.
The gentle rebuke identifies Peter as a person of “little faith” which in
Matthew is a mixture of courage on the one hand and anxiety on the other. It is
a faith mixed with doubts. The conclusion to this episode in Matthew is
that the disciples worship Jesus as Son of God. Jesus is then portrayed as the
one who can make everyone whole.
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 28:1-17; Mt 14:13-21
The miracle of
the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and two fish in which five
baskets are gathered is the only miracle that Jesus worked that is found in all
the four Gospels (Mk 6,32-44; Lk 9,10-17; Jn 6,1-15).
In Matthew,
Jesus withdraws after hearing about the death of John the Baptist. However, as
he did earlier (12,15), the withdrawal is not out of fear, as is clear here
from the fact that even in his withdrawal he is able to reach out to the multitudes
and satisfy their hunger. The crowds follow Jesus and when Jesus sees them, he
reaches out to make them whole. Unlike in Mark where the disciples are shown in
a bad light in their sarcastic response to Jesus’ charge to them, “you give
them something to eat” (Mk 6,37), in Matthew they are not. In Matthew, it is
the disciples’ lack of faith, which is brought to the fore. In Matthew, the
words and actions of Jesus here, resemble more closely than in Mark, the words
and actions at the scene of the Last supper (26,20-27). The people eat, are
satisfied and there is food left over which highlights the abundance and
extravagance of the miracle. Matthew adds “besides women and children” (14,21)
to Mark’s “five thousand men” (Mk 6,44) in order to expand the numbers and
emphasise again the abundance of the miracle.
Many like to
see this miracle as one in which selflessness is at the core. Seeing Jesus
share his own meal so freely, others were motivated into sharing what they had
so that there was more than required. It is in giving that we receive and more
than we ever expected.
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa55:1-3; Rom 8:35,37-39; Mt 14:13-21
A
prosperous and God-fearing industrialist was praying with his son one night at
bedtime. He said to his son, “Let us pray for that poor man who lives down the
road that the good Lord may come to his aid.” His son turned to him and
replied, “But, Dad, we don’t need to bother God about that. We can do it
ourselves.”
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand
with five loaves and two fish in which twelve baskets are gathered and which is
the Gospel text of today is only miracle that Jesus worked that is found in all
four Gospels (Mk 6:35-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-15). While each evangelist
narrates it slightly different from the others, the numbers that are used are
the same in all four Gospels.
A
variety of explanations have been offered as to what really happened. While
some think that there was a miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish,
though it cannot be explained how, others think that when people saw Jesus and
disciples sharing the little they had, there were also motivated to share their
own food with others. Still others give a sacramental explanation to the
miracle. There is no need to deny the historicity of the miracle simply because
we have never witnessed a miraculous multiplication of food. At the same time,
however, the literal, historical miracle of Jesus on this occasion is full of
ongoing and important significance for Matthew’s community and for us.
The
miracle, while it may be seen as the supernatural provision for the physical
hunger of a large crowd on a specific occasion, is much more than just that.
Indeed, the miracle is a deed filled with symbolism at more than one level. The
primary symbolism is that of messianic provision, both now in the present and
in the future. This provision takes place in the wilderness, just as manna was
provided in the wilderness. It is a kind of messianic provider. People go away
from his presence healed and filled.
The
feeding of the multitude is thus a sign of good news for Matthew’s Church and
also for people of every era. God is not far away and aloof from us. God is not
simply a God up there in heaven. Jesus shows us that God does not stand outside
of life, but is right here with us, beside us in our broken and troubled and
suffering world. It is an indication to all peoples who dare to see and
experience that the Messiah is in their midst, offering to them real bread
which satisfies. Not only will God offer bread but also the choicest of gifts
and these will be given freely and gratuitously. These will be in abundance
just as the abundance at the feeding of the five thousand. God gives them
freely because of his unconditional love. His love was shown in a variety of
ways to the people of Israel, but in the most perfect of ways according to Paul
in and through his Son, Jesus Christ. This love is so sure and tangible that
not even death will be able to stop its outpouring. Paul reminds us that in all
things God’s abundance will, in the final analysis, become sufficient to meet
our needs. This will happen right here and right now. In the midst of who and
what we are, God will provide.
This
does not mean, of course, that people of faith will have no problems or misery.
But it does mean that God will give us the grace and aid to bear the load as we
overcome and move through whatever may befall us. Ours is not a faith of easy
answers and unrealistic solutions. Jesus entered life and died on the cross for
us, showing us that in whatever we experience, in whatever may trouble us, in
whatever distress or threat we feel, we need not fear because God is in it with
us. God will lift up in our midst what we need to make it through.
Like
the disciples of Jesus we sometimes find that our care and compassion are very
often limited to prayer and good wishes. Like the disciples we wish people well
but have no intention of taking positive action to help the situation. And, again,
like the disciples, what prevents us from taking positive action is often the
realistic assessment that the little we are able to do is not really going to make
any appreciable difference.
But
in the gospel we see that when we translate our care and compassion into
positive action, the little we are able to do is multiplied by God’s grace in
such a way that it becomes more than sufficient for the need. In whatever
crisis or issue, we face in life, in whatever trouble may come our way, the
power of God’s love will provide what we need.
