Our dog Moe always sits on the floor next to me at mealtimes. This is noteworthy because I’m really not his favorite person in the family. He doesn’t sleep by my feet at night or snuggle up to me on the couch unless no one else is home. He doesn’t run up to me and lick my face when I walk in the door. But at dinner, he is right there by my chair. Like my best friend. This may be because I slip him a little something under the table once in a while. And when it comes to his stomach he has a very good memory. He knows I’m his best chance – perhaps his only chance – for a morsel at mealtime. So he watches me while I eat. Perhaps I will hand him a nibble. Or if not, something may fall off my fork. And he is there to snatch it up.
It is kind of pathetic to see him beg at the table. He often sits up on his haunches to get my attention – I guess hoping that cuteness or perkiness will help him get what he wants. He doesn’t make a sound or jump on me – he seems to know his place. And he doesn’t leave that place until supper is over. He keeps his eyes on me and every bite I take. You might say Moe has great faith in his master. He humbles himself but boldly persists.
For us humans, humility and boldness characterize faith in Christ. Humility in recognizing our own condition and our need for him and boldness in receiving what his grace provides. This is what true faith is. The Canaanite woman in our Gospel for today displayed the humility and boldness of faith in Christ. And Jesus commends her for it. “Woman, you have great faith!”
The controversial exchange between Jesus and this Canaanite woman took place in an area outside of Galilee– the place where Jesus had conducted most of his ministry. At the time of our Gospel, he had withdrawn to the area ofTyre andSidon – cities north ofJudea where the population was mixed. Jews lived among the pagan nations – including the Canaanites. It was hostile territory racially, politically and spiritually. There weren’t a lot of rabbis teaching or prophets preaching in this region of unbelievers. They lived far away from the worship taking place inJerusalem’s temple and no one really cared. The fact that Jesus went there in the first place tells us much about who he is and what he came to do and whom he came to serve.
A woman approaches Jesus with a concern for her demon possessed daughter. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!” She says. Jesus is silent. The disciples are ready to get rid of her. But she doesn’t give up easily. It’s hard for them to distract her from her focus on the master. Because she is ready to snatch up anything Jesus will give her. “Send her away,” the disciples tell Jesus. And then we overhear this conversation:
Jesus answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep ofIsrael.”
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
Did Jesus really just say that? We know that the first-century Jews referred to the Canaanites as dogs because of their failure to observe ritual purity laws. But Jesus certainly was not one to promote ritual purity laws. How do we explain his comments which sound uncharacteristically rude and even racist?
Some are quick to point out that Jesus words for “dog” in the original Greek do not mean “mangy mutt” but rather “household pet” as if that might soften the words. But I’m not sure that explanation is too satisfying. Elton Trueblood in his book “The Humor of Christ” says we need to understand Jesus’ humor here. His comments are to be taken tongue in cheek. Perhaps. Others believe that Jesus already detects the woman’s great faith – either from his divine omniscience or because she addresses him as “Lord” and “Son of David” and so his comments are giving her a chance to express her faith. Others believe that Jesus is giving voice to the prevailing opinions of the Jews and his disciples muttering under their breath; his words exposing their prejudice in order to teach them about the wide embrace of God’s mercy.
Perhaps it is a combination of all. These are difficult words of Jesus. We might as well admit it. But we do know Jesus liked to use situations like this to probe the darkness and bring light and understanding. We know Jesus understood his mission as extending beyond the Jewish people. He commissioned his own disciples to take the Gospel to the world. In fact, the Gospel of Matthew in particular is written to show Jesus as the Messiah for all people.
And in this Gospel today we have a woman who believed that. She believed Jesus could help her. She believed Jesus would show mercy. She believed in spite of everything she was hearing around her, that Jesus was for her. And she was right. She humbly and boldly claimed God’s grace. She said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
She was humble enough to know that she was not worthy of the abundant gifts of God’s mercy. She knew her place. That’s why she got on her knees. But she was also bold enough to receive God’s gifts anyway. She trusted the master’s grace. That’s why she wouldn’t stop insisting on his help. This is the paradox and the mystery of faith in Christ.
This is faith only the Spirit can create in us. Because when it comes to our relationship with God, we often choose other ways. One way is that we boldly claim the gifts of God and FORGET that we do not deserve them. In other words we strut around with our own piety and goodness as if God is blessing us because we worked for it or earned it. We’ve obeyed all the rules. Our intentions are pure. Of course, WE are shown God’s mercy. It’s others who are impure and unworthy and outside God’s grace. This attitude will not draw us to Christ but will only put our attention on self. This is not the attitude that compelled the Canaanite woman to get on her knees and beg. And this is not true faith in Christ.
Another way we choose is to recognize our inadequacy but fail to claim the gifts. In other words we mope around feeling completely unworthy and reject the gifts given to us by grace. We know we have failed. We feel it. But we are not convinced that what God has done for us in Christ will really matter. This is not the mind set of the Canaanite woman who persisted in seeking Jesus and was not afraid to insist on his mercy and help. And this is not true faith in Christ.
The only way for us to join the Canaanite woman in humility and boldness – the only way for us to receive God’s help and mercy – the only way to true faith is found at the cross.
In the Old Testament, Joshua was commissioned to eradicate the Canaanites. They needed to make way for God’s people. So that explains the first century Jewish racial attitudes against them. But in Jesus, the new Joshua has come to complete this task. This time making a way for all people not with a violent slaughter, but with his own suffering and death. Jesus came not to conquer the Canaanites but to be conquered himself. Something that only makes sense on the cross. There Jesus allowed himself to be cut off – just like the Canaanites and the Gentiles and all sinners had been. And in his death he draws them all to himself and expands the mercy of God to all people.
And this explains more than anything else who Jesus is. What Jesus really feels about the Canaanite woman and about you and me is found on the cross and written in his own blood. And what he has done there for us – for all – gives us humility and boldness in approaching him with whatever burdens we carry – whatever concerns we have – to receive help wherever we need it.
From him we receive an abundance of God’s mercy delivered to us today right here as we gather on our knees in true faith to receive him. This Gospel reading is filled with hints of that sacramental point where Jesus meets us in our need today. Table – bread – crumbs. Matthew’s readers could not have helped but see the connection to the Lord’s Supper in today’s Gospel. Nor can we. And so with humility we come – recognizing we do not deserve these gifts. And with boldness we come – knowing that these gifts are for us. In faith we come to this table as welcome guests with eyes on the master believing, along with the Canaanite woman and along with every sinner on his knees or on his haunches, not only that Jesus is our best chance for life and healing, but that heis our only hope.
