Praying 15 Days with St. Josemaria Escriva by Derville Guillaume

Author:Derville, Guillaume [Derville, Guillaume]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Midwest Theological Forum
Published: 2017-05-21T16:00:00+00:00

Eighth Day

A Pagan Who Had Faith:

Speaking with Love

And he answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Mt 15: 26-28)

“Do not be discouraged,” St. Josemaria urges. “However unworthy the person is, however imperfect the prayer turns out to be, if it is offered with humility and perseverance, God always hears it” (FW, 468). “Our whole faith,” he says in another place, “is brought into play when we believe in Jesus, really present under the appearances of bread and wine” (CP, 153). And again: “Build up a gigantic faith in the Holy Eucharist. Be filled with wonder before this ineffable reality. We have God with us; we can receive him every day and, if we want to, we can speak intimately with him, just as we talk with a friend, as we talk with a brother, as we talk with a father, as we talk with Love itself” (F, 268).

The woman is a pagan, yet Jesus praises her faith. She travels through the hills around Tyre and Sidon looking for the one who heals. Reaching the city, she makes her way through a labyrinth of streets: the bazaar with its booths, olive and fruit trees, a sandal-maker, the chirping and squawking of birds soon to die, the odor of incense, the breeze off the sea, fishermen, merchants selling dyes, and the cries of children playing in the street.

She is thinking of her sick child. Only lately has she heard of Jesus, and he must heal her daughter. That is why she has come all this way to the city. And Sidon was infamous, a haunt of notorious women—where today, on high ground at the city’s outskirts, a statue of Our Lady of Mantara (Awaiting) watches over it. Tradition has it that the holy Virgin waited there for her son while he announced the good news to the fishermen.

“Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David,” the woman cries out. “My daughter is severely possessed by a demon” (Mt 15: 22). But Jesus doesn’t answer—mysterious silence of the Word. The disciples, usually protective of the Master, understand that this woman is a true mother and will not give up. Tired of her entreaties, they insist that Christ send her away. But he has stepped inside a house, the Son of Man seeking a little refreshment and rest. Another time, he used a boat to get away from the crowd (cf. Mk 3: 9). Later, in Nazareth, even his relations did not recognize him (cf. Mk 6: 1-6).Yet this woman, a pagan, threw herself at Jesus’ feet.

With what seems like hardness of heart—a heart that will be pierced for our sins—Jesus replies that he has been sent to the lost sheep of Israel only; and she is a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth.

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