20th Sunday Ordinary Time
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Cycle A
- A176: Isn't Jesus being insulting to the Canaanite woman in today's gospel? He seems to call her a "dog" in his remarks (Matt 15:21-28).
- So They Laughed
- Q332: Why did Jesus call the woman a “dog” in today’s gospel (Mt 15:21-28)?
- Q489: Did Jesus really intend to “insult” the pagan woman by implying that she was no better than a “dog” in today’s gospel?
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A176: Isn't Jesus being insulting to the Canaanite woman in today's gospel? He seems to call her a "dog" in his remarks (Matt 15:21-28).
It would seem that Jesus did indeed use an expression that was common to that culture; Gentiles were commonly referred to as "dogs" in everyday language by the Jewish people. In the twenty-first century we would consider that very crude or ill-mannered behavior. However, in that ancient culture there was to be no contact by a rabbi with a foreigner or woman. "Dogs" were unclean animals, according to the Mosaic law; Gentiles were automatically "unclean" since they did not acknowledge Yahweh, the God of the Jews, and did not follow the Mosaic laws on purity.
But the pagan woman acknowledges that Jesus is Lord, and shows wisdom in her witty reply to Jesus about "leftovers." Her insistence that Jesus heal her daughter is a foretelling of the Christian mission to the Gentiles, as is the favorable healing response by Jesus. St. Paul later notes that he (Paul) is carrying out that mission as the apostle to the Gentiles (Second Reading, Rom 11).
As Christians we have this great insight that healing love and compassion come from the heart of Christ, and that we are called to carry on his mission. No one is to be excluded from our love. Those who are not Christians still have the dignity that comes from being human, God's creation. We all have the same heavenly Father.
Reflection: What do you do with your own "leftovers" - share them with those in need, or hold a garage sale and pocket the proceeds? Do you put up "social boundaries" that prevent others from sharing your life?
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Alexander Graham Bell began making experiments when he was a child, often to the great amusement of his parents. Once when visitors came to call his father told them: "Alexander is in the kitchen. His mother gave him a glass of water, and he put a piece of wire in it. He thinks he's talking through it." Everybody laughed.
Somehow, people are always amused at the new and the different. Respect for inventors and discoverers is hard won. Yet, in the cases of those who have proved their point, the scoffers have served the unexpected purpose of adding a deeper incentive for the ridiculed person to succeed.
Those who work conscientiously to serve God, even when it means departure from the beaten tracks, are usually regarded as "strange" to say the least. If the dictates of your heart and conscience have led you into some "different" activities, don't permit the "wet blankets" to discourage you. Remember that Our Lord was continually being mocked and discounted.
"Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)
-Father Robert F. McNamara
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Q332: Why did Jesus call the woman a “dog” in today’s gospel (Mt 15:21-28)?
Today Jesus gives new meaning to the old baseball saying, “strike three, you’re out.” In the Gospel story Jesus is at bat, and you the Pharisee are the Umpire. First, he is in pagan territory near Tyre and Sidon, and a pagan woman has the audacity to speak to him in public - - breaking all the social customs of the day. Second, Jesus uses a conventional cliché and calls her a “dog” - - after all, Canaanites don’t follow the Jewish dietary laws and like dogs will eat almost anything. Also, after the Assyrian invasion in the 8th century bc Jews intermarried with pagan Canaanites and Foreigners - - again just like dogs, who don’t care who they mate with. Third, Jesus grants her request, even though it was implied that there were Jews more “deserving” of his healings. “Strike three, Jesus; you’re out!”
“Not so fast,” the Canaanite lady says to you, and then gives you a lecture on faith and love. The culture of her day did not give her any legal status; but she knew who to turn to in her time of need. The Jewish culture likened her to “dogs”; but she was willing to approach Jesus for any scraps of life she could obtain. The culture said no woman could challenge a man and thereby affront his honor; but because of her love she was willing to take any means necessary to obtain healing for her child.
Jesus overturns the cultural “rule book.” By his approving action he is saying that faith is not determined by race or national origin or gender. Faith does not put God in a little box, thinking He is small enough for us to control. Faith recognizes that in situations requiring grace and mercy, anyone in the world can turn to our awesome God and trust that he will hear our prayer requests. “Woman, you have great faith! Your wish will come to pass.” Ball four, take your base…
Know Your Catechism! The Gentile pagan woman recognized in Jesus the attributes of the promised Messiah (CCC#439). Thus she calls out “Lord” which is prompted by the Holy Spirit and expresses this recognition (CCC#448). She had the power of prayer and faith which even Jesus’ neighbors did not have (CCC#2610). Do we look to the boundless love of Jesus, or do we look to society’s book of narrow rules for insiders?
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Q. 489: Did Jesus really intend to “insult” the pagan woman by implying that she was no better than a “dog” in today’s gospel?
Did you ever wonder why there are only two stories in scripture where Jesus complimented individuals for their “great faith”? Here is the surprise element: neither one was a Jewish person! One was a man (a Roman centurion) and the other was a pagan woman (a Canaanite). In today’s story from Matthew 15:21-28, a Canaanite mother is described as pleading with Jesus to cure her daughter who seems to be possessed by a demon. Since Jesus’ primary ministry was to the House of Israel, he slips into one of the idioms of the day – really a negative stereotype – to point out that fact to the woman. “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Today we might think that is terribly harsh; but we forget our own use of stereotypes or clichés that sound harsh to other cultures. For example: Catholics were oftentimes called “mackerel snappers”; northerners were called “damn Yankees” or “carpetbaggers” by those in the deep south; Jewish merchants were stereotyped as greedy (cf. Shakespeare’s character “Shylock”); and the list goes on. Some name-calling was very rude; at other times it was simply cultural banter. The culture that Jesus lived in was no exception.
However, Jesus recognizes the woman’s quickness to reply “in kind.” Picking up on the food metaphor, she uses it herself to prove a point: there is plenty of food to go around, even for dogs. However, like Jesus, she was not referring to nutrition, nor to animals. She was referring metaphorically to the power that Jesus possessed to heal, and to the needs of her daughter. Jesus perceived her correct insight, and granted her request because of her “great” faith.
We can draw an excellent lesson from this exchange between Jesus and the woman. It is this: don’t put Jesus in a box about what he can’t or won’t do. If you have a need, take it to him. He alone is worthy, but he reads our hearts and responds accordingly. Have faith!
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The woman in today’s gospel recognized in Jesus the messianic power attributed to the awaited “Son of David” (CCC #439). If you truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, then trust him and fashion your prayer requests accordingly (CCC #2610).
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