God knows what is just right — if only we would accept it
Posted on
Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
A reflection on the daily readings by Father Perry for Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time.
+ In the story of the three bears, Goldilocks grows tired and goes to lie down on the bed — but there are three beds.
The first is too hard.
The second is too soft.
The third is just right! And asleep she falls.
+ Is it not something when we find the perfect bed, the perfect suit, the perfect sauce, the perfect anything, and we conclude it is just right?
Today, we have a God seeking the perfect partner for the man.
After each animal created by God, presented by God to the man, the man names the animal appropriately — but non are suitable to be his partner.
Then, God takes a part of the man, a part of the earth, a part of the breath of God and blows it into the nostril that he has created of the woman — that he created from the man — and perfection! Just right! It is done!
Goldilocks would have approved!
+ This story, once again, lifts up and speaks out and praises the God who knows what is just right, who does what is just right, who wants to always give what is just right — if only we would want, would accept, would appreciate all of the gifts, and just be a gifted people.
+ And, it might be noted, sometimes we must really, really, really seek the gift.
This Greek-born Syrophoenician woman knew the gift she wanted, the gift she needed, for her daughter to be made well. She knew that this gift-giver could deliver. She knew the differences (Jew and non-Jew), and she probably had no idea of the desire for Jesus the Christ to do what he always did with such distinctive awareness.
He would seek out her faith. He would deliver so that she could find and live something even deeper than just a healing (great as that was).
He wanted always to help people find more, the something that was just right!
And so in this strange (at first sight) interchange about it not being right to take the food of children and give it to the dogs (the non-Jews) the woman says: “OK! I’m a dog! No problem! I still need the gift and you are the great giver! Please!”
And Jesus, once again, got it just right.
The woman and the daughter got the double gift — the gift of healing and the gift of faith.
Just right!
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
