20th Sunday in Ordinary Time        Year A                                                16th August 2020

Lectionary Readings:

Isaiah 56 v1, 6-8.                               All nations will be part of God’s people.

Romans 11 v1-2a, 29-32.                   God has not rejected his people.

Matthew 15 v21-28.                           A woman’s faith.

The ‘bigger picture’ requires a ‘bigger heart’.

In the gospel reading, the focus is on a mother’s concern for her daughter’s health.

In Paul’s letter the focus is on two sets of people – Jews and Gentiles.

In the Old Testament reading, the focus is broader still, “All nations will be part of God’s people”.

All three readings challenge us to adopt a bigger (more compassionate) heart; to see the ‘bigger picture’, the world as God sees it.

All humankind is within God’s view, each and every person is loved by God. (Is 56 v1b).

Paul argues that God has not withdrawn his favour towards us, rather that we, humankind, (Jews and Gentiles) sometimes reject Him.

But, thankfully for us, God is merciful, kind and loving. (Romans 11 v31/32).

Such love is shown by Jesus in his healing ministry towards the Canaanite woman and her daughter.

Her perseverance and understanding of the way Jesus reveals God’s love for all, regardless of ethnicity, wins praise from Jesus for her faith.

In this story as in many others in the gospels, Jesus does not respond immediately; he seems to take a few moments to discern the motive behind the request.

Jesus then thinks about how he might frame a reply that brings Glory to God and at the same time help his disciples understand who he really is, and what the Kingdom of God looks like when related to everyday life.

The challenge to us is to examine our own motives before we take action; and to reflect upon whether our ‘world-view’ is as wide, inclusive and compassionate as God would like it to be.

Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.

Thanks to Mike Peck for submitting these reflections