Wednesday Gospel Webinar Portsmouth Diocese – Formation for Mission

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Literal meaning Where? Matthew 15 – in the region of Tyre and Sidon When? After a dispute with the Pharisees What? Dialogue and miracle Who? Jesus, Canaanite woman, disciples How? Miracle achieved through persistent pleading Why? Jesus responds to faith, even from a pagan woman

A reluctant miracle Jesus does not enter a house (unlike similar passage in Mark) Unusual silence of Jesus who first ignores the woman Dismissive attitude of the disciples Refusal of Jesus spoken twice (to the disciples and to the woman) Victory of faith and persistence

Finding God Does God change his mind? Does God change his plans? The heart of God is touched by human prayer http://dhspriory.org/thomas/ContraGentiles3b.htm#95

Finding the human person Faith forged in perseverance and time The dignity of being a second cause The power of intercession The drama of omission

Finding the Church The Canaanite woman is a figure of the Church interceding for the salvation of the world: the salvation of all her children

Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own “yes” to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.   Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia.

Acknowledgments Mosaics artworks: © Fr Marko Rupnik and Centro Aletti www.centroaletti.com With gratitude to the Wednesday Word www.wednesdayword.org