WEBVTT 00:00:01.139 --> 00:00:07.860 Often, very often, I'll ask any one of you how 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:12.460 you're doing. And very often I'll hear back the 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:15.919 response, I'm struggling. That's a good thing 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:19.000 to say to a priest. And what do I usually say 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:22.899 back to you? That's good. That's good that you're 00:00:22.899 --> 00:00:30.539 struggling. Because in our life, If we stop struggling, 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:34.539 there are probably two reasons. One is we might 00:00:34.539 --> 00:00:41.140 be dead. The other is we've given up. What are 00:00:41.140 --> 00:00:43.880 you struggling, I'll say? What are you struggling 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:47.500 with? Oh, it might be a situation at home, difficult 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:52.140 family situation, an illness of a relative or 00:00:52.140 --> 00:00:57.179 your own illness, difficulty at work, a financial 00:00:57.179 --> 00:01:02.939 problem. a spiritually deep, deep problem, struggling 00:01:02.939 --> 00:01:06.140 with a passion of some sort, any of these things 00:01:06.140 --> 00:01:12.319 it could be. The struggle is where we find Christ 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:18.219 helping us. It's in that struggle. That's where 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:20.939 we find the joy, that he comes into that and 00:01:20.939 --> 00:01:26.340 we enter into him. The story that we heard today, 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:29.560 seven short verses from the 15th chapter of the 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:33.719 Gospel of St. Matthew, is about this woman of 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:37.980 Canaan. Read Joshua to see what the Canaanites 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:43.840 are all about. Jesus has left Judean territory 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.700 earlier in the Gospel, just a few verses earlier. 00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:54.900 He's had an encounter, per usual. with the religious 00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:59.599 authorities, the Pharisees, who are nitpicking 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.540 at the disciples, criticizing, judging them, 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:07.359 demeaning them. And Jesus speaks to the Pharisees, 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:10.400 and the disciples come to him and say, Master, 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:16.960 you know, they think you insulted them. And Jesus 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:20.180 says, they're blind guides, let the blind lead 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:24.020 the blind. Whatever God plants that's of God, 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:27.280 it will grow. Whatever he didn't plant, it's 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.460 going to be plucked up and thrown away. And of 00:02:29.460 --> 00:02:31.719 course, they don't understand what he's talking 00:02:31.719 --> 00:02:35.300 about. So he leaves that whole territory for 00:02:35.300 --> 00:02:42.460 some rest. And for an encounter with a Gentile. 00:02:45.099 --> 00:02:49.060 Far north, maybe somewhere around present -day 00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:53.180 Lebanon. we meet a remarkable pagan woman. Clement 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:56.919 of Rome, writing in about the 100s, 96 AD or 00:02:56.919 --> 00:03:03.120 so, tells us her name. It's Justa. And her daughter 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:08.400 is Veroniki, 96 AD. The chances are quite good 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.259 we can presume that this daughter was still living 00:03:11.259 --> 00:03:16.199 at the time. The Clement. Wrote his letter, his 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:19.300 epistle. And this Veronika is demon -possessed. 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.580 Justa is a pagan, not a Jew. She's at the end 00:03:24.580 --> 00:03:27.840 of her endurance. She is struggling mightily. 00:03:27.900 --> 00:03:31.240 She cries out from the depths of her heart because 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:34.680 her soul, her heart was consumed with pain for 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:39.939 her possessed daughter. She has identified herself 00:03:39.939 --> 00:03:42.960 with her daughter as a mother so completely. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.819 She considers the healing of her daughter as 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:51.199 mercy towards her own self. Like, I can't take 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:58.039 this anymore. She says, have mercy on me. She 00:03:58.039 --> 00:03:59.979 didn't say have mercy on my daughter. Have mercy 00:03:59.979 --> 00:04:04.340 on me. This is beyond me. I'm torn apart. No 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:07.599 one but you, Lord. No one can help me. Have mercy, 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:11.280 O Lord. Son of David, she says. A Gentile calling 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.219 out the name of the Savior of the world. Jesus 00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:18.980 has to go far north before he hears that. Because 00:04:18.980 --> 00:04:23.959 it's not said in Israel very much. My daughter 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:30.259 is severely demon -possessed. When we are desperate, 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:35.839 when we are struggling, we think, I've heard 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.879 it said, And all of us say this too. Well, God 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:45.680 is my last hope. But shouldn't he be our first 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:49.860 hope? Our foremost hope. Put not your trust in 00:04:49.860 --> 00:04:52.459 princes and the sons of men. We hear that in 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:56.600 the psalm. But he's our last hope. Fix it, Lord. 00:04:57.660 --> 00:05:02.120 You must. You must. Almost as if God owes us 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:08.540 is the way we feel. Jesus remains silent. to 00:05:08.540 --> 00:05:13.819 this woman. Doesn't say a word. We've also had 00:05:13.819 --> 00:05:20.259 this experience with Jesus silent at our side. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:24.339 Yes, sometimes he is silent, but he is with us. 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:28.259 The disciples think that Jesus is ignoring her, 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:37.250 but he's not. He's inviting her forward. So they 00:05:37.250 --> 00:05:42.689 can hear how absolutely xenophobic they are because 00:05:42.689 --> 00:05:49.269 she's not a Jew. Jesus is going to teach. I would 00:05:49.269 --> 00:05:51.509 imagine those disciples thinking, well, not just 00:05:51.509 --> 00:05:55.269 the daughter, but this woman has a demon. She's 00:05:55.269 --> 00:05:59.129 bothering you, Lord. Send her away. She's bothering 00:05:59.129 --> 00:06:03.649 us. She's driving us crazy. To them, she's just 00:06:03.649 --> 00:06:06.680 an animal. She's not a person. They don't see 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:10.779 her. How many times have we walked down the street 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:14.800 in Santa Rosa as a homeless person? We don't 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.560 want to look in that person's face to acknowledge 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:24.579 that they are a person, not just a lump. That 00:06:24.579 --> 00:06:28.980 they are also an image of God. Look at them, 00:06:29.019 --> 00:06:32.060 brothers and sisters. Say good morning. Say good 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:35.250 afternoon. Say how are you? It doesn't cost you 00:06:35.250 --> 00:06:39.490 a penny. But it makes that person not feel so 00:06:39.490 --> 00:06:44.269 invisible and lost and hopeless. We are to be 00:06:44.269 --> 00:06:48.430 Christ's bearers to the world. The disciples 00:06:48.430 --> 00:06:51.149 hadn't learned that yet. They're learning it 00:06:51.149 --> 00:06:55.149 right here in this gospel. Jesus is going to 00:06:55.149 --> 00:06:57.810 teach them and us, and she will become the first. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:00.879 among the Jews, among the first to be saved. 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:03.600 So a conversation then ensues. She falls down 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.680 before Christ. She worships him, her face to 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:13.060 the ground. Lord, help me. She's begging for 00:07:13.060 --> 00:07:16.920 help. That's when the Lord replies with a very 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:20.800 curious response that probably bothers us a lot. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.839 The children's bread, that is the children of 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:29.050 Israel. Should not be given to the dogs. Well, 00:07:29.129 --> 00:07:33.490 he actually says puppies. But maybe you can imagine 00:07:33.490 --> 00:07:39.170 the face of the Lord. Sweet face. Kind face. 00:07:39.870 --> 00:07:45.269 And that sentence said, with love and inviting 00:07:45.269 --> 00:07:51.110 her. With a twinkle in his eye. Yes, she sees 00:07:51.110 --> 00:07:55.160 that. She understands that. We think about how 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:57.420 toddlers eat, and there's food all over the floor, 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:01.459 and then my cat or a dog comes and eats, but 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:05.759 this is not cute. Her face is on the ground. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:11.519 And the apostles see she is demeaned and humbled. 00:08:13.939 --> 00:08:18.939 But she understands what's going on. She offers 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:25.750 what she has, which is humility. Persistence 00:08:25.750 --> 00:08:32.549 and patience. And one other thing, cleverness. 00:08:32.909 --> 00:08:37.169 She wins the negotiation, if you will, with the 00:08:37.169 --> 00:08:39.789 Lord Jesus Christ. Just like Jacob wrestling 00:08:39.789 --> 00:08:44.850 with God. She wins. And what does he say? Something 00:08:44.850 --> 00:08:49.190 you don't hear very often from Jesus. Oh woman, 00:08:49.350 --> 00:08:55.490 great is your faith. Let it be unto you as you 00:08:55.490 --> 00:09:01.409 desire. Great is your faith. You see, the thing 00:09:01.409 --> 00:09:04.990 that matters here when we approach Jesus Christ 00:09:04.990 --> 00:09:08.450 is humility, it's patience, it's persistence. 00:09:09.509 --> 00:09:14.190 You can be clever too, but don't try it. You 00:09:14.190 --> 00:09:18.789 won't be as clever as this wonderful woman. We 00:09:18.789 --> 00:09:22.059 think. in times of desperation, in times of struggle, 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:24.620 desperate, terrible, terrible times when they 00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:27.860 do come, and they will come, that we cannot find 00:09:27.860 --> 00:09:32.299 the peace of God, but we can. We think instead, 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:37.019 God owes us. I'm entitled to something here from 00:09:37.019 --> 00:09:42.740 you, Lord. Aren't I privileged before you? But 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:45.259 with humility, it's natural companion patience 00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:49.879 and persistence today. we are challenged to acquire 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:53.720 those things for ourselves and learn how to approach 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:57.139 the Lord, not just for something we want or need 00:09:57.139 --> 00:10:01.120 or are in desperation, but to have the zeal to 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:07.419 simply be with Christ, that we are lost without 00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:11.700 him. And perseverance in prayer is hard work. 00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:17.009 It doesn't come natural to us. Waiting for God, 00:10:17.049 --> 00:10:21.289 being patient, is difficult work. Not getting 00:10:21.289 --> 00:10:24.529 what we want right away is disappointing because, 00:10:24.610 --> 00:10:29.269 of course, I can get anything I want today. I 00:10:29.269 --> 00:10:32.990 can go to any number of stores. And if I can't 00:10:32.990 --> 00:10:35.710 get it today, I'll get it tomorrow or the day 00:10:35.710 --> 00:10:41.549 after through Amazon. We don't have patience. 00:10:41.950 --> 00:10:45.879 But this woman is teaching us today. Acquire 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:51.340 it. We see her humility, and it's not weakness. 00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:57.980 We see her on her face, saying those words, yes, 00:10:57.980 --> 00:11:02.279 Lord, but even the puppies eat the crumbs that 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:06.600 fall from the master's table. God has chosen 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:10.919 the foolish things of this world, says St. Paul. 00:11:11.450 --> 00:11:14.470 To put to shame the wise. God has chosen the 00:11:14.470 --> 00:11:17.830 weak things of this world. To put to shame the 00:11:17.830 --> 00:11:20.649 things that are mighty. And the base things of 00:11:20.649 --> 00:11:23.029 the world. And the things which are despised. 00:11:23.029 --> 00:11:27.850 God has chosen. That's us. And the things which 00:11:27.850 --> 00:11:30.629 are not. To bring to nothing the things that 00:11:30.629 --> 00:11:33.830 are. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 00:11:36.649 --> 00:11:40.029 If you do not feel like praying or being patient 00:11:40.029 --> 00:11:43.889 or persevering, listen to what St. Ambrose of 00:11:43.889 --> 00:11:47.309 Optina says. He says, you have to force yourself. 00:11:50.110 --> 00:11:53.769 The Holy Fathers say that prayer with force is 00:11:53.769 --> 00:11:59.570 higher than prayer that comes easy. You don't 00:11:59.570 --> 00:12:02.269 want to do it. You don't feel like getting up, 00:12:02.289 --> 00:12:05.149 going to church. You don't feel like giving something 00:12:05.149 --> 00:12:08.750 to the poor person. All these things are true. 00:12:08.850 --> 00:12:11.470 We don't feel like fasting, but we do it because 00:12:11.470 --> 00:12:17.309 the kingdom of God is taken by force, and those 00:12:17.309 --> 00:12:24.549 bear it away. Elder Zechariah of Essex writes 00:12:24.549 --> 00:12:26.799 in his little book, pre -Lenten book, he says 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.299 this, we know that in spite of the fact that 00:12:29.299 --> 00:12:31.620 the things which are impossible with men are 00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:37.120 possible with God, it still often happens that 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.840 when we entreat God with all the pain of our 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:44.279 heart, he does not deliver us from the hardships 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:49.139 that torment us. True wisdom is not to yield 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:53.659 to the spirit of the enemy and ask, why? But 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:57.629 to say, yes, Lord. It is good for me that thou 00:12:57.629 --> 00:13:01.830 hast humbled me. Do thou thyself teach me thy 00:13:01.830 --> 00:13:05.950 statutes? Then God makes known to us, as St. 00:13:06.009 --> 00:13:09.169 Paul says in Ephesians, what is the immeasurable 00:13:09.169 --> 00:13:12.409 greatness of his power toward us who believe, 00:13:12.570 --> 00:13:15.110 according to the working of his great might, 00:13:15.210 --> 00:13:17.909 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from 00:13:17.909 --> 00:13:20.509 the dead and seated him at the right hand in 00:13:20.509 --> 00:13:23.769 the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority 00:13:23.769 --> 00:13:27.029 and power and dominion and above every name that 00:13:27.029 --> 00:13:31.700 is named. It is he that will unite himself today 00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:37.159 with you and me in the chalice. And he put all 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:39.940 things under his feet and gave him his head over 00:13:39.940 --> 00:13:42.740 all things to the church, which is his body. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.919 The fullness of him who fills all. He grants 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:52.250 grace, consolation, and power. which makes us 00:13:52.250 --> 00:13:54.809 stronger than the temptations threatening our 00:13:54.809 --> 00:13:57.529 life. May God bless us all with that grace, humility, 00:13:57.649 --> 00:14:01.870 and patience. And receive from God what this 00:14:01.870 --> 00:14:06.950 Canaanite woman received today. This gospel we 00:14:06.950 --> 00:14:10.830 heard, this is the first in the, let us say, 00:14:10.950 --> 00:14:15.230 signpost gospels, which prepare us for the coming. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.700 of Lent in which we enter that great stadium. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:21.259 I hear this is a sporting event today. That great 00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:25.960 stadium of the virtues of Great Lent. We don't 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:28.779 want to be spectators. That's what happens today. 00:14:29.059 --> 00:14:32.899 We're all spectators. We don't want to be second 00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:35.779 string players in the stadium of the virtues 00:14:35.779 --> 00:14:42.480 of Great Lent. We want to enter and contest lawfully. 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:49.519 Next week, Sunday of Zacchaeus. This week, meditate 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.919 on this woman and the Lord's encounter with her. 00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:55.980 To our Lord be glory, now and ever, to ages of 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:57.139 ages. Amen.