Two of the great points of controversy in our
current society are those of inclusiveness and equality of treatment before the
law. It is a sad comment on us that
Isaiah's joy that the House of God, the great Temple in Jerusalem, will become
a house of prayer for all peoples still has the power to shock a good number of
Americans who have a very narrow view of who should be included in what many
regard as the New Israel, the New Promised Land, the United States of
America. Similarly, Matthew has so
edited the story of the woman in today's gospel as to make it as shocking as
possible. Mark's calling her a
Syro-Phoenician woman is changed to Matthew's calling her a “Canaanite
woman.” Matthew is using a more general
term that actually arouses more contempt in the minds of his contemporary Jews
and Jewish-Christian community. “Canaanite,” in the post Deuteronomic literature of Israel is the name
of the sinful race that embodies all that is wicked and godless, the race that,
in their view, should have been exterminated when the Israelites took from them
their possession of the Promised Land and then established the Canaanites as an
underclass of people within the Jewish tribal lands. There are so many
parallels to American history: the
Native-American holocaust, the enslavement of millions of African-Americans and
on-going Jim Crow-ism, the Chinese exclusion act, the imprisonment of the
Japanese-American population, the struggles at our border with Mexico, etc.
Matthew transforms this Canaanite female pariah—even her gender breeds contempt in some small minds—this Canaanite female pariah into one of the most beloved of all Gospel characters. He does this by subtly comparing her to St. Peter in a way that shows Matthew's insight into the human condition. The Apostle comes out the worse in the comparison between Peter in last week's gospel of the walking on the water and this week's about the faith of the Canaanite woman. Peter was rebuked by Jesus, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Since grammar school New Testament class, I have thought that Jesus was criticizing Peter for getting scared while walking on the sea and so sinking because his fear weakened his faith. Peter's fault is far worse than that. Jesus had revealed himself to Peter and the disciples, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter's real fault is that he does not fully believe this. His reply to Jesus is creepily, eerily like that of Satan in the desert who said: “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” Peter, likewise, makes this silly demand of the Jesus he is doubting, “If, Lord, it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” To his doubting, Peter adds egocentric self-aggrandizement. He'll be the star of a big show in front of all the others if Jesus can pull it off. He doesn't seem to care about his brothers, the danger they are in, as they struggle against the pounding waves and wind. Peter is, indeed, someone of little faith—and little love--at this point in his life.
In the gospel of
today, Jesus and his band have traveled to the edge of the Jewish lands and are
approaching the borders of Phoenicia. It
is theorized that Jesus needs a break from all the unbelief he has encountered
among the Jewish people he has come to save.
He will rest, it is supposed, and get away from it all—he “withdrew” it
says. The Greek is anachoresen from which we derive the word for hermit
“anchorite.” Despite his plans, a
Canaanite woman comes out from her district, full of conviction about whom she
is approaching, and calls out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My
daughter is tormented by a demon.” Here
we see the efficacious gift of faith.
This pagan Canaanite woman acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus and his
healing power. She evokes King Solomon,
the Son of David, who was known in area traditions as a healer. She asks not for anything for herself really,
but for her daughter. Unlike Peter, she
so identifies with her child who is in danger that her “me” includes her
daughter—the union of love. Her faith in Jesus is so strong that she withstands
his crude rebuff with good humor-- once again identifying herself with what is
rejected, the dogs. Jesus, who sought
some solitude with his disciples away from the unbelief of his own people,
encounters the fullness of faith where he or any Jew would never have expected
to find it, completely outside the orbit of his mission “O woman, great is
your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Matthew has brilliantly and so very subtly
edited the Marcan story as to make it a grace filled challenge to his own
Jewish-Christian church community struggling against the waves and winds of
prejudice against its Gentile converts.
Peter fell into such a disposition to follow his demonic impulses that Jesus will, we know, eventually call him “Satan.” The despised Canaanite woman humbly relied on Jesus to rid her beloved daughter of demon possession. Our prejudices and the contempt we have for others can be our most tormenting demons. Let us take them to Jesus and be rid of them in this Eucharist.
Photograph by Father Emmanuel. Today’s homily by Father Luke.
