A God of Infinite Love, Mercy and Compassion toward All

In today's Gospel, Matthew 15: 21-28, a Canaanite woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon approached Jesus, calling out to Him: "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon."

Initially, it looked as though Jesus ignored her, as He does not respond to her request at first., so it seems.  Jesus' disciples are annoyed by this foreigner and say to Jesus: "Send her away,  for she keeps calling out after us."  In Jesus' times foreigners were referred to as "dogs." Jesus uses this expression and says to her: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel....It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."  The woman is not taken aback. She says to Jesus: "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."  Jesus, amazed at this foreigner's expression of faith, says to her: "'O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed from that hour."

What a lesson for Jesus' disciples! No one is excluded from God's infinite love, compassion, and mercy. Those considered "dogs" by the Jews would be treated as compassionately as the Jews themselves! Gentiles as well as the Jews have equal access to Jesus' healing power!

Redemption is for all men and women in our day as well. Those toward whom you and I might not want to show mercy are shown mercy by God. Those excluded by society, put down by the powers that be in our world, those scorned and treated like "dogs" are treated lovingly, compassionately, and mercifully by God. His love, compassion and mercy are abundant toward all of His creation: men and woman alike, the rich and the poor alike, blacks and whites and all colors alike, criminals and noncriminals alike, young and old alike, the universe itself and all that dwells therein. 

Faith, Love and Forgiveness in Action

In Today's Scripture, 2 Sam 18: 9=10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3, David learns that his son Absalom, who was out to kill him and take over his kingdom, is killed.  David is crushed and cries out:  My son Absalom! My son, Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, mu son, my son!"  The Incarnate Son of God does die in our places.  And He weeps when any one of us does not accept the gift of life He has given us by taking on human flesh, all its weaknesses, except sin, and is put to death in our places that we will inherit eternal life.  Nothing is more painful for God than the death of one unrepentant sinner.

This love of God is also revealed for us in the Gospel of today, Mark 5: 21-43.  One of the synagogue officials, Jairus by name,  approaches Jesus and begs him to go lay his healing hands upon  his 12-year-old daughter who is dying. Jairus' friends inform him that his daughter has died and that he should stop bothering Jesus. Jesus says to him: Disregard your friends' report. "[J]ust have faith." His daughter is healed!  Also, a woman suffering from an illness for 12 years touches Jesus' clothes, saying to herself:  "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."  As soon as she touched Jesus,  her affliction left her. Jesus knew that someone in the crowd had touched him and asked who had done so. The woman comes forward and tells Jesus her whole story and Jesus says to her: "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

Who am I in these Scripture stories of faith and love? Absalom filled with hatred toward a family member and out to kill this person? David, who grieves the loss of his son and does not condemn him for seeking to kill him? Jairus, a non-Jew who believes in Jesus and seeks His help to save his little girl? the woman who believe that in just touching Jesus' clothing she will be healed of an illness that plagued her for 12 years? Jesus, who responds to people in need, even persons not of  His religious beliefs?

Am I, are you, a person of faith like Jairus and the woman seeking healing? Am I, are you, a person of forgiveness and love like David?  And if I am like these persons and like Jesus, how does my faith translate into actions such as modeled in these Scriptures?