Some of the important details reveal: the woman is not a Jew; her daughter is indeed ill (“tormented by a demon”); the mother, too, is suffering greatly over her daughter’s struggle — she says “have mercy on me.”
She is rejected by Jesus’ silence. She is rejected by the apostles’ plea to “send her away.”
She is directly rejected by Jesus’ exclusionary response: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She is not diverted from her mission to seek healing for her daughter.
Jesus is changed by what he sees as the woman not being stubborn, or her simple persistence, but rather as “great faith.”
What a lesson! What a truth!
This woman does not belong to the Jewish community, but she sees a man of great faith, great power, great wisdom, and one very close to God.
She sees with her own eyes.
What parent would not do the same? What parent would not exhaust every possible effort to better their child’s life?
Who wouldn’t “turn over every stone”?
But the treasure of this story is in Jesus’ final response.
Jesus sees great faith; others saw only a pest, a persistent woman, someone loud, bothersome and irritating.
Jesus recognized that in her persistence was a woman who could see and recognize and unrelentingly call forth the grace and power “of the Lord.”
If Jesus could recognize faith in this woman so completely disposed of by the apostles, might he also not recognize our meager expressions of faith? Might he not also see and hear us in our hungers, thirsts, and yearnings for the power and grace that he gives so generously, so unlimited, so unconditionally?
Does this story encourage us? Does it help us to seek profoundly?
And is this story really about a healing, or is it more about profound faith, deep hope, and the struggle within life to try no matter what?
What happens if we “give up”? What happens if we do not strive? What happens if, even in our last breath, we do not seek for more?
Hope is its own reward. Hope does not require another end or goal.
If what we hope for does not come about, was hope hopeless?
Is hope not a better way? Does hope not lift us up and give us life, whether or not the hope is realized? Is hope not more healing than despair?
Hopefully, the Lord’s response to us will be again and again: “O Man, O Woman — great is your faith and great is your hope!”
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
