Jesus came to tear down the dividing wall of enmity

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

July 21, 2024

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072124.cfm

Jer 23:1-6     Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

Eph 2:13-18    Mk 6:30-34

In today’s Gospel, the apostles have just returned after Jesus sent them out two by two with nothing but one set of clothes and a walking stick. They have reported to Jesus all that they had done and taught. We didn’t hear this story last Sunday but they also had just received news of John the Baptist’s execution.

The disciples were tired, dusty, smelly, saddened by the bad news, and just needed a break.  We all have those moments when the burdens of life overwhelm us and make us tired as we deal with that one more thing.  Jesus was aware of that tiredness.  

He said to the Apostles, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.

Jesus was taking them on a mini-retreat!  Or at least trying to since the crowd follows them and even beats them to their destination.  This will soon lead up to one of the two miraculous feedings in the Gospel of Mark.  The feeding of the five thousand.  More on that in a bit.

Now Fr. Matt homilized about Lectio Divina a couple of weeks back, how we should read, reflect, respond, and rest with Scripture.  I practice Lectio a lot, especially when preparing my sermon.  This week, while praying with the readings, the one clear takeaway for me is that Jesus came to unite all of mankind, to create one flock, and remove all things that divide.

Let’s get into that! There is a hidden meaning in the two feedings in the Gospel of Mark. The first is Mark 6 - feeding of the 5 thousand - this is where they had 12 wicker baskets full of leftover food.  The leftover number is important. It represents the 12 tribes of Israel, the Jewish people.  This feeding happened near Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee a Jewish region.  Jesus is the new Moses feeding the Israelites the new bread of life, the first group of people.

The second miraculous feeding is in Mark 8 where Jesus feeds four-thousand and has seven wicker baskets of leftovers.  Seven represents the Gentile towns that would convert. This feeding takes place in the region around the Decapolis - Gentile territory; the second group of people.

Acts 13:17-19 speaks of them:

The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm, he led them out of it, and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance

Acts refers to the seven Gentile nations the Israelites took over and settled in way back in Exodus.  This was a time when the was a major division between the Gentiles and the Jews.

Our second reading today is all about getting the Gentiles and the Jews to be of one faith now that Jesus has come.

Ephesians 2:13-14

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh

“Made both one” is a direct reference to the Jews and the Gentiles. The dividing wall St. Paul speaks of refers to the actual architecture of the Jerusalem Temple, which had a physical wall separating the outer court, accessible to Gentiles, from the inner courts, only permissible for Jews.  There would even be signs posted on the outer walls warning the Gentiles that if they dared pass into the inner courts they would be trespassing and could face the death penalty!

Jesus did not come to earth and die for us to tear apart our world, our country, our church, and our families.  No, he came to unite us, to unite us through the bread of life, the Eucharist he has given us.

There are so many things dividing us all right now:

• Democrat vs. Republican
• Some families are divided by a tragedy or a misunderstanding
• We can be divided at work or school
• Some arguments divide us with our friends, even our good friends
• How we choose to worship in the Catholic Church even divides us
• The list could go on and on…

Again, in honor of the month of the Precious Blood of Jesus, we will have an intinction station so that you may receive the body AND the precious blood of Christ.  If you wish to receive in this manner come to the left side where Fr. Matt will be and fold your hands as if praying.  That will signal you wish to receive both the body and the blood.  You need to receive on the tongue.  While you receive pray about the divisions that are causing you stress and tension in your life and your relationships.  Bring them to Jesus in the Eucharist.  Bring them to the foot of the cross. Ask Jesus for healing and peace of these divisions.  Jesus has broad shoulders and can handle these things with you!

Pope Francis says it well:

Unity is, above all, a gift; it is a grace to be requested through prayer

Pray humbly and persistantly

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

August 20th, 2023

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082023.cfm

Is 56:1, 6-7    Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Rom 11:13-15, 29-32   Mt 15:21-28

God is love.  Jesus is love.  When we hear today’s Gospel it doesn’t sound like that’s true, Jesus is using harsh language talking to the Canaanite woman.   As a parent, I love my kids but when they are constantly asking me for things, I can get a little irritated.

We were in bible study many years ago, talking about sin and someone said “Well, when we sin and we are in good company because even Jesus sinned.”  Let me pause to add a VERY important Side note here: Jesus NEVER sinned.  My friend was referring to the time Jesus flipped the money changers table.  That was righteous anger and certainly not a sin.  Let me reiterate, Jesus NEVER sinned.  We have to dig deeper into these questionable parts of scripture.

Let’s do that with today’s Gospel.   A demon is tormenting this poor Canaanite woman’s daughter and Jesus appears to brush her off, even seemingly insulting her so let’s analyze this more.  Let’s take some of the important lines and dig right in.

#1 Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon

Tyre and Sidon are important as these are Gentile cities in the southern part of Phoenicia bordering the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.  Jewish people didn’t live there.  Keep that in mind: Jewish people didn’t live there!

#2 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

A Canaanite woman would be a Gentile, someone who is not Jewish and whose daughter is in a terrible situation.  She seems to know that Jesus can do something to help and even calls him “Lord, Son of David.”  The title she uses is an earthly title of power so she’s not fully there yet with who Jesus really is.  Neither are Jesus’ disciples for that matter!  She persists with her pleas and the disciples seem to get aggravated that this Gentile woman is bugging them asking Jesus to send her away.

#3 Jesus said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

All throughout the Old Testament it’s about the Israelites, God’s chosen nation.  Now God has sent His only begotten Son to the lost sheep of Israel - the Jewish people - they are the lost sheep;  NOT the Gentiles!  Yet the woman persists.  “Lord help me!”  Jump back to #1 and remember, Jesus is in a Gentile city.  He knew what he was doing.

#4 Jesus said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”

There it is, the line we hardly expect from Jesus!  Remember, Jesus is in a Gentile area.  Who did He expect to encounter here, Jews?  No - Gentiles!  

Jesus didn’t come here to reprimand this woman and tell her He didn’t come to help her because she isn’t Jewish.  No, it’s the exact opposite!  Jesus was teaching His disciples that the ministry is going to open up to far more than the lost sheep of Israel!  The ministry will be for everyone eventually.  He intentionally came to a Gentile area, He knew He would encounter Gentiles!  We see that in our second reading today when Paul tells the Romans how he wants to make his race, the Jewish people jealous:

I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them.

Much like the Woman at the Well, this was an expected encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman.  

#5  Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And the woman's daughter was healed from that hour.

The teaching moment for his disciples is over and Jesus does as the woman requests, he heals her daughter.

Ok, so the disciples were supposed to learn Jesus came down from Heaven for everyone on Earth.  As St. Paul said today:

For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.

Now what can we learn from this?  Let us focus on the Canaanite woman.  The definition of a gentile is “not Jewish.”  That’s us, so what can she teach us?

She can teach us faith:

"Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."

Her faith is so strong that she knows that she doesn’t need the whole Jesus but just a scrap will be enough to help her.

She can teach us to be humble and persistent when we pray: 

But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, "Lord, help me."

She got on her knees in the dust and dirt and gave Jesus the respect and honor he is worthy of.  When we pray are we humble or do we think Jesus owes us what we are asking?  We need to remain humble and realize it’s Jesus who’s in charge, not us.  That’s where the persistence comes in.  Our prayers may take a bit to be answered, don’t give up!  Keep at it - even if it takes years!

As St. Padre Pio tells us:

“You must always humble yourself lovingly before God and before men because God speaks only to those who are truly humble and He enriches them with His gifts.“