Pentecost 12

We’ve all done it.
We’ve all had people that we just don’t get along with.
People that it’s difficult for us to like.
For whatever reason.

It’s a harsh truth of human history--
Of feuds between families:
Like the Hatfields and McCoys,
Like Romeo and Juliet’s Montague’s and Capulets.
And in this Gospel story: The Israelites and the Canaanites.

This feud is big—and the prejudices and dislike runs deep--
As deep and old as the first six books of the Bible.
The pagan Canaanites--
who lived in the Promised Land were nearly killed off by the Israelites.
Yet some Canaanites survived—like this woman that Jesus meets.
But it is not initially a happy meeting.

When the woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter--
Jesus IGNORES her.

The disciples’ prejudices against the Canaanites come out when they urge Jesus to
“Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”
And Jesus--
JESUS—appears to agree when he says to the woman:
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Everyone knew what Jesus meant:
“It isn’t fair to take the blessing meant for the Israelites and give it to Gentiles.
ESPECIALLY TO CANAANITES”

But this woman doesn’t give up.
She screams: “Lord, help me!”
And Jesus--
JESUS—likens the woman to a dog.
A worthless, dirty, despicable DOG, saying:
“It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
The years of prejudice and dislike are clear

As the Israelites are likened to children,
And the Canaanites dogs.

It’s hard for us to hear.
It’s hard for us to believe.
That Jesus would be so dismissive:
First ignoring a woman in need,
And then calling her a dog.

But once again: This is not the end of the story.
Just when it seems that Jesus is only going to “take care of his own—the
Israelites”
All of the expectations are overturned.

Rather than walking away, Jesus waits:
He waits for her to show her faith to the disciples.
He waits for her to acknowledge her worth--
Her worth through Christ himself.

Jesus waits for her to expose his true identity--
An identity that’s beyond all prejudice--
That’s based in love instead of hate--
Jesus’ identity that in turn exposes her identity--
Not as a dirty Canaanite--
But as one worthy of Jesus’ healing touch.

And she does.
Because this woman knows--
That Jesus has enough--
Enough to give even to her.

She says to him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their
masters’ table.”
Meaning: “Lord, I know your blessings are for the entire world.
I know your blessing is so great that I’ll gladly take the leftovers and still be
satisfied.”
I know that it is you.

And this is what Jesus has been waiting for.

For her to know--
And believe--
And to show the disciples--
That God is bigger than anything we can imagine.
That with God there is enough for everyone--
EVEN Enough for the Canaanites.

And to believe and show that who God is--
Changes who WE are--

No longer a dirty, worthless dog of a Canaanite--
But one who is loved, and valued.
One who is worth transforming--
One who is worth the healing touch of God.

Jesus—for a brief moment plays along with the status quo--
Plays into the disciples’ prejudices and pre-conceived notions against the
Canaanites
To expose them--

Expose both the disciples’ prejudices, and also their lack of faith.

In fact: We saw it last week.
(I wasn’t here) but you read the famous story of Jesus walking on Water.
Peter’s fear and lack of faith causes him to sink.
And Jesus proves the disciples wrong.

And today the Canaanite woman proves them wrong.

In a shocking turn of events:
The most unlikely person ever--
A WOMAN:
Who is of a race despised by the Israelites:
Is the one that Jesus proclaims “GREAT is your FAITH!”

This woman is the ONLY person in the entire Gospel of Matthew that Jesus said
had “great faith.”
The one considered to be a DOG had the greatest faith--
Had the greatest hope--

That Jesus really IS who he says he Is.
Not a magician,
But truly the Son of God--
The Messiah--
God’s Chosen One--
Who has enough blessings for everyone:
EVERYONE:
Every nation. Every Race.
Every perfection, and every sin.
Everyone.

Here: Jesus proved what he said in Matthew 7:
Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be
opened for you.
And the disciples saw this kind of faith lived out--
From one nobody would ever expect.
Because of Jesus--
And his promises to all:
This woman is no longer a worthless dog.

Because of Jesus--
She is no longer a dirty Canaanite.
Because of Jesus--
She—like us—takes part in his identity--
As one who is worth it.
Worth it all.
Worth God’s blessing.
Loved and valued through Christ.

This is who she is.
This is who we are.

One of my favorite lines in the Eucharistic prayer says:
“In Him [as in Jesus] you have delivered us from evil, and made us WORTHY to
stand before you.”
(Listen for it in the prayer today.)

Christ has made us worthy.
Has made even this Canaanite WORTHY.

A free gift--
Given to everyone--
Given to YOU--
Worth and Value.
At no price.
At no cost.
To stand before God.
And be transformed into a people who are forever loved and valued.
Amen.

Happy Birthday to Edwin, Lee and Jason Marks!