August 14, 2011

Ninth Sunday in Pentacost

Prince of Peace

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

Psalm 67

Romans 11:1-2, 29-32

Matthew 15:21-28

"For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

Let us pray.

This past Thursday I was invited to share in the breaking of the fast at a local mosque as a part of the month long observance of Ramadan, when Muslin people fast all day long and then at sundown are able to eat.  I considered joining them and also fast on that day, but I'm afraid I just couldn't get by without my morning coffee and a bowl of cereal.  So I went with a lot of respect for their devotion and how they truly put this faith into practice.  And as in the past, I was overwhelmed by their hospitality.  They were so honored to have me join them and made me feel like royalty--and on top of it, the food was wonderful!

I realize that today there is plenty being said about the Muslin faith, and quite a bit of it is rather negative and based more in fear than truth.  And I can't help but to wonder if today's story of the Canaanite woman and how she was judge by the disciples give us insight on how we need to treat others who we might discriminate against because we really don't know them.  And wasn't that at the heart of the situation with the Canaanite woman, the disciples didn't know her?  To them, she was inferior, just an annoyance and she belonged to the people they often called dogs.  No, they were all bad, so she had to be worthless as well.  Even Jesus seems to be influenced by this type of bias.  Doesn't what he tell her seem to be out of character for Jesus?  Where is the inclusive, all loving Jesus we know and follow?  His response about how it's not fair to take children's food and give it to the dogs seems rather old.  An yet, isn't this exactly what fear does, put us into the us versus them struggle, where we better do all we can to hold tightly to what we believe is "ours"? 

But then something dramatically changes.  The woman doesn't get angry, doesn't demand for her fair share.  All she is concerned about is the welfare of her daughter, "Just like any good mother would be."  Just like us, she would do anything for the sake of her child.  And Jesus sees this.  He sees her love and devotion for her daughter, and he sees that her commitment and faith is anything but inferior or dog-like.  In fact, as he declares, "Woman, great is your faith." 

Not once does Jesus every say this to any of his disciples.  In fact the only other person to receive such affirmation from Jesus was another foreigner--the Roman Centurion.  Can you imagine what the disciples must have thought when they heard those words of Jesus to this woman?  Isn't the lesson quite clear?  Once you get to know someone, once you see them for who they are and experience first-hand how genuine their faith truly is, then how can you ever consider them less that God's own precious child as well?

I came across a quote this week by Mother Theresa.  She wrote:

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." 

Many of you may never know how your prayers, your notes and cards, or simply a kind word has made such a difference in my life and my walk of faith as I've faced the various challenges in the past couple years.  The power of being a community that cares lets everyone know that they belong to God's household.  Isn't this what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ?  I went to the Mosque not just because I believe in tolerance, but because I believe and follow Christ and want to practice love the way he shows us.  I'm certain the disciples never forgot the Canaanite woman or how Jesus treated her with respect and love.  Every time they thought they were better than someone else, she must have come to mind and humbled them again. And just think how the woman felt after being shown love. 

What if we took the time to get to know each other?  What if we saw others through Jesus' eyes?  What if we realized that in God's house, there are no outcasts, but we are all one family, seeking the same love, wanting our faith to be affirmed by God as genuine, and yes, even great.

Amen.