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“Who Let the Dogs In?”
I have always found this parable particularly difficult to stomach for the way Jesus treats this poor woman; he seems to insult her, effectively calling her a dog. But if we dig deeper into the context here we find a very clever psychology at work.
Matthew is writing to a community of Christian converts from Judaism. They still keep the Jewish laws and customs and believe all males must be circumcised in order to belong. They are increasingly seeing gentiles becoming Christians. Their upbringing has taught them to look upon gentiles as outside God’s people - indeed, they call gentiles ‘dogs’, animals to which Jews deny house room - and they are having a hard time accepting them. Gentile Christians reject circumcision and believe, with St Paul, that we are redeemed by faith in Christ, not by following the Jewish law.
Matthew has Jesus at first follow the Jewish convention of rejecting the gentile woman’s claim to a share in what is the birthright of the Jews alone. But her persistence and faith win him over and he ministers to this gentile. Thus, Matthew signals to his Jewish audience that following Christ will inevitably and appropriately include gentiles in future. He also makes the point that membership of Christ is conferred by faith, not by race.
I think the message for us here is against prejudice towards others in all its forms, whether based on race, religion, gender, ability, colour, orientation, nationality, political views or whatever of the multiplicity of possible reasons people can have for being prejudiced against others. Yes, Jesus was born a Jew, but more importantly he was born a human being and for that reason his salvation is for all humanity. Jesus came to show that all people are equal in the sight of God and equally heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. As St Paul says, “In Christ there is no more Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female”.
What do you desire? What do you long for? We all have a longing for something, something to satisfy us and fulfill us. When we celebrate the liturgy, we are encountering a bigger reality than ourselves, the fulfillment of ours desires which we long for – God. We hear in today’s Gospel of the woman who came up to Jesus and kneeled at his feet, simply saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ A desire, a plea, and a longing for help. Jesus was moved by her faith and responded, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted,’ let your desire and longing be granted. The Lord, have mercy or Kyrie Eleison after the Penitential Act during Mass, acclaims the Lord and implores his infinite mercy upon us, just like the woman in today’s Gospel. Today’s Entrance Antiphon and Collect highlight this reality. We desire everlasting happiness and peace, and ask the Lord to turn his eyes towards us, for one day within his courts or presence is better than a thousand elsewhere. God has prepared for those who love him good things which no eyes have seen. We pray that God may fill us with the warmth of his love, so that we may love in all things and above all things to attain his promises of true peace, happiness, and fulfilment which surpasses every human desire. It is good to remember the words of St Augustine of Hippo today, ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.’ Let us encounter the Lord in the celebration of the liturgy this day with openness and faith.
478 Laudate omnes gentes (L)
700 Come, praise the Lord, the almighty (L)
747 The light of Christ (L)
896 The Church of Christ, in every age (L)
898 Make me a channel of your peace (L)
Key
L = Laudate
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
