Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SoundOn
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 56:1, 6–7; Romans 11:13–15, 29–32; Matthew 15:21–28
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus’ mission had a clear focus:
to renew Israel.
He sent His disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Yet again and again, Jesus met people from other nations, other backgrounds, other religious worlds.
And something in them often amazed Him:
their faith.
Among those who knew Jesus well, we often hear about little faith,
weak faith,
or no faith.
In Nazareth, His own hometown, Jesus could not do many miracles because of their lack of faith.
Peter, walking on the water, became afraid of the wind and waves.
The disciples, terrified in the storm, heard Jesus ask:
“Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
But then a Roman centurion comes, asking Jesus to heal his servant.
And Jesus says:
“I have not found such great faith in Israel.”
Today, a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus.
She is not from Israel.
She does not belong to the chosen people.
She crosses boundaries of religion, culture, nation, and gender.
She comes because her daughter is suffering.
Love gives her courage.
She cries out:
“Lord, help me.”
This was not a test, like Peter saying, “If it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
This was not curiosity.
This was not religious argument.
This was a mother standing before Jesus with the pain of her child in her heart.
At first, Jesus’ answer is difficult to hear:
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then comes an even harder word.
Yet she does not leave.
She does not become offended.
She does not give up.
Everything Jesus once taught about prayer seems to come alive in her:
Ask.
Seek.
Knock.
Believe.
She does not accept “No” as the final answer.
And finally Jesus says:
“Woman, great is your faith.”
Great faith.
Not in Peter at that moment.
Not in the disciples.
Not in Nazareth.
But in this woman from outside.
We often think we know what faith is.
But sometimes we confuse faith with wishful thinking,
or with our own effort,
or with optimism.
Faith is deeper.
The Letter to the Hebrews says:
faith is confidence in what we hope for,
and certainty about what we do not see.
This woman had such faith.
She could not yet see her daughter healed.
But she trusted that mercy was possible.
She trusted that Jesus could help.
Faith made her bold.
Faith made her humble.
Faith made her persistent.
And faith crossed the boundaries that human beings build.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
He opens hearts.
He breaks walls.
He teaches us that God’s mercy is wider than we imagined.
And sometimes, those we consider outsiders show us what true faith looks like.
Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Content License
© 2025 Krakus.
Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
(Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial).