20th Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima
Theme: God’s universal Salvation and our response.
Readings: Is 53, 1. 6–7; Rom 11, 13–15. 29–32; Mt 15, 21–28
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this twentieth Sunday, the Church reminds us that God’s salvation is universal; His love, kindness and mercy are for all humanity; God is the Father of all. And, then, she tells us that this God extends His invitation of love, mercy and kindness to all humanity, giving all humanity equal opportunities to come to Him. This means that God invites both sinners and saints, tall and short, ugly and beautiful, intelligent and unintelligent, people of all colours and nations to come to him. Then, the Church also teaches us that this invitation can only be accepted through faith in God and by living out the demands of this faith in all situations of life.
All the three readings of this Sunday touch the various aspects of the conditions for responding to this invitation of God. Let us look at how each of the readings enlightens us on the universality of God’s salvation and what we should to do to embrace God’s invitation and enjoy his mercies, love and kindness.
In the first reading, through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, God stepped beyond the religious belief of the people of Israel and announced that he will bring foreigners also to his holy mountain. The Israelites believed that God’s salvation and mercy will not go outside the boundaries of the twelve tribes of Israel; they believed that foreigners will be destroyed by God because they were unbelievers. However, in the passage of Isaiah we read today, God was saying that foreigners who live their lives according to the commandments given to Israel will be saved. He said, “and the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath, and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer… for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”
Dear friends, this reading encourages us not to close the door of God’s house to those our brothers and sisters who do not live up to the moral standard of the Church and the society. It also speaks to all of us that even though God is merciful and wants all humanity to receive his mercy, there is a condition that must be met before this mercy is attained. Many times some of our brothers and sisters appropriate God’s merciful heart and make quick reference to it anytime they are preached to but they make no effort to live their lives according to the words of this merciful Father. Whoever has made the merciful heart of God his own must live according to the commandments of this merciful God. This reading also encourages those who think their lives are too dirty to appear before God’s presence that there is a place for them in God’s house. They should come and purify themselves with the blood of the lamb at the sacrament of confession. It is also a call for us to avoid all forms of discrimination both in the church, in our families and in the society. We are called to accept other people and treat them with love, care, kindness, and equity. We need to pull down our walls of separation and hatred, and, then, share in the universality of God’s love. Whoever discriminates cannot be called a son of God.
The second reading of today takes up this same teaching of God’s salvation for people who once lived outside God’s horizon of mercy, love and kindness according to the religious understanding of the Jews. St Paul was addressing the Roman Christians, those who were foreigners. He told them that by their obedience to God, they have earned a place in the presence of God, while the Jews, the original owners of the promises of God, have lost their position before God by their disobedience. St Paul warned the foreigners that they will also lose their position before God any day they start living the life of disobedience to God like the Jews. This is also a big lesson for us who have been baptized into Christ and have been made heirs to God’s kingdom. Any day we depart from the path of righteousness, we lose claim to God’s blessings, mercies and kindness.
A first look at the gospel reading of today, one may conclude that Jesus insulted the Canaanite woman by snubbing her and by reminding her how lowly her people were placed by the Jews (the Jews took Canaanites as dogs). But, then, when one reads to the end of the episode, the last statement of Jesus to the woman brings out the reason for the drama and the lesson Jesus wanted to transmit. He said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.” So, it was neither a snub nor an insult, but a test of her faith. It was a test to know if she fulfils the conditions to attract God’s mercies and kindness. It was also a lesson to the disciples (who were Jews), to teach them that through faith, the foreigners can also merit a seat on that table prepared for the twelve tribes of Israel, on that table which the Jews believed was prepared for them alone. It was an illustration of the universality of God’s mercy and salvation. One needs the manifestation of faith in actions to possess it.
The woman’s persistence in her request and refusal to be distracted by anything serve as a lesson to us who rely on God’s mercy, love and kindness all the days of our lives. We can attract the mercy, love, goodness and blessings of God by refusing to be distracted by insults, calumny, persecutions, attractions to evil, and every other thing that can lead us to disobey and despise God.
Finally, the woman’s persistence is a call for us not to take the silence of God as a ‘No’ when we pray to Him. Persistence is an element that should not be lacking in our prayers.
Peace be with you
Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima