A Homily given by Deacon Ben Jones, assisting Deacon;

St. George’s Anglican Church, Raleigh, NC;

On the 2nd Sunday in Lent, A.D. 2009

“Tested Faith.”

+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, AMEN.

St. Matthew 15: 25 - 28.

“Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.  But he answered and said, it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. and she said, truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.”  And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

We are given the indication in our Gospel lesson this morning that Jesus is changing the focus of His ministry.  This shift was not subtle at all.  Jesus had traveled to of all places, the coasts of Tyre and Sidon which He had previously rebuked as being unrepentant cities.  “Then began He to unbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sack cloth and ashes.”1  It is thought by many commentators that Jesus’ intent on this trip was not Evangelism.

This is the second withdrawal of Jesus following the beheading of John the Baptist and the further rejection of His teachings by the religious leadership of Israel.  He retired to Phoencia leaving Herod’s jurisdiction.  Jesus had entered into a region that was despised by the Jewish people.  He is not exactly among friends, but exhibits four tests to a Gentile woman who approaches Him to heal her daughter and at the same time, He gives His disciples a valuable lesson in humility.

We are told in Matthew’s Gospel, “And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is vexed with a devil.”2  In Mark’s Gospel we are given a bit more information on this woman that approached Jesus.  “The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phenician by nation;”3  The woman was not of the Jewish culture; the Israelites, the chosen people.  She was a Gentile.  “But He answered her not a word.”4  Christ was reluctant to heed to this Gentile or at least He gave that outward appearance.  This was the first test for the woman and as well an example for His disciples.  Jesus was absolutely quiet.  He didn’t say a word.  His first test was to establish genuine need.  If this woman remained quiet, then there was really no special need for His care.  At the same time he was exhibiting to the disciples a lesson in humility, for they were more than ready to send this woman on her way.  This Gentile woman did not let the silence of Christ turn her away.  She knew that He was the only one that could heal her daughter.  When He saw that she did not turn away, Jesus tested her again.

For the second test, Jesus used the disciples, which actually turned into a test for the disciples as well as the woman.  “And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.”5  See the twist the spokesman for the disciples has added.  She crieth after US.  The woman’s request for help was directed to Jesus.  She knew in her heart that Jesus was the promised one that could help her daughter.  She knew as well that man could do nothing for her daughter.  She did not approach the disciples, even though in their discomfort with the approaching woman they included themselves in this interruption.  Now the silence that was directed to the woman is now directed to the disciples.

They were thinking, come on Lord, just give us the word and she is out of here!!  I can only imagine the astonishment of the disciples that Jesus did not motion them to intervene.  The woman wasn’t wavered by the comment of the disciples.  She persisted.  Her faith is beginning to surface.  The third test is a clear rebuke directed to the woman.

“But He answered her and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”6  Jesus clearly states that He was sent to redeem the Jewish or the Israelite nation; that His blessings were not for her or for her nation.  Certainly this woman does not expect Jesus to go against the commission of His Father.  This third test is meant to confirm her need.  We see evidence in this Gospel lesson that the woman indeed confirmed her need.  “Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me.”7  There is a fourth, harsher test of the woman.  Jesus had saved the sharpest for the last.

“But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to dogs.”8  Jesus is again declaring much more abruptly that His Saving Grace and miraculous cures were the bread for the children of the Israelite nation and must not be wasted on the Gentiles in giving that which is Holy to those He described as dogs.  Jesus restated His mission in a harsh manner to the woman by analyzing her request in light of His Fathers work that He is carrying out.  His fourth test is seen as a “Test of Faith”.  So what did the woman do?

The woman’s faith was evident in her answer.  “And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.”9  Through this come back she exclaimed that the Jewish nation was wasting their gifts from God.  They found fault with their gifts and were crumbling them away.  All this woman was praying for was a morsel, a small inconsiderable amount compared with the multitude of loaves that were given to the Jewish nation.  She was proving that an inconsiderable morsel of the grace of God is precious to a believer.  The woman was a living example of the very discourse that Jesus proclaimed at Capernaum.

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”10  Christ could see through her desperateness, that by her humble response, she was declaring her FAITH.  Her clever words illustrated great faith which is a gift from God.  By this woman proclaiming her faith, Jesus understood that by granting her request he would not be going against His mission of carrying out His Father’s work.  Jesus was poised to rest on this journey, but His mission was to ALWAYS care for the people His Father had sent to Him no matter what He was doing.  The focus of His ministry is shifting.  His redemptive work has now shifted to include the Gentile nation.

“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.  And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”11  Due to her wisdom, her humility, her meekness, her patience, her perseverance in prayer, all being products of her faith, Christ blessed her.  His saving grace along with His power of miraculous cure was given to her and to her daughter.  The woman knew what could be hers, even as a Gentile, and became an illustration to us of the millions of Gentiles who would be blessed by the Messiah of Israel.

What about the disciples??  Do you think they were changed as well??  They had witnessed the healing power and the miracles of Jesus Christ time and time again.  Did they get it??  Had it soaked in??  They were taught a tremendous lesson in humility in the presence of this woman.  However, their memory would more than once prove to be extremely short term as evidenced by Peter in the Garden when Jesus was arrested.  He loped off the ear of the high Priests servant.  Jesus probably wanted to say to Peter, “Give me a break.  Haven’t you been listening??”  Instead, “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword unto the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”12  Jesus never lost the focus of His mission of carrying out His Father’s work.  The disciples had witnessed a tremendous miracle.  Jesus has just proclaimed in their presence through His statement to the woman, that He was sent to redeem all people who would turn to Him, to believe and have faith that He is the Son of God, that bread of life.  What about our change??

How does this Gospel lesson apply to us during this Lenten Season?  Let’s examine our Lenten discipline.  Are we experiencing change from within during this Penitential Season of Lent; either through self denial of some food or activity, or through adding a discipline?  By the practice of our Lenten discipline we grow closer to the saving grace of our Lord and Saviour as we come to a better understanding of His sacrifice for us as we progress to that glorious Resurrection Sunday.  Continue to be persistent in prayer to Jesus Christ as the example set forth by the Gentile woman.  Partake of the Sacraments in humility with the intention of leading a new life to our Lord and receive His grace that they convey through the work of the Holy Ghost.  Continue in your belief and faith through persistent, daily prayer and weekly Worship, and receive the bountiful blessings and grace of our Saviour.

Amen.

And now unto God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all might, majesty, power, and dominion, most justly due this day, both now and forever, world without end,

Amen.

1 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 11:21.

2 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:22.

3 The Gospel according to St. Mark 7:26.

4 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:23a.

5 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:23b.

6 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:24.

7 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:25.

8 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:26.

9 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 15:27.

10 The Gospel according to St. John 6:35.

11 The Gospel according to St. Matthew 28.

12 The Gospel according to St. John 18:11.