Gospel: Matthew 15: 21-28
Once again we find the disciples attempting to deter Jesus from caring about another person. This time it is a woman and a foreigner. They urge Jesus to ignore her and send her away. But as in every other instance, Jesus rejects the disciples in their attempt to keep him from an encounter with another person. What is more, Jesus will use this encounter to reveal something dramatic.
The woman shows a remarkable insight in her conversation with Jesus, causing Jesus to remark that he has not seen such faith in all of Israel. Now consider: this foreign woman has a greater faith than all the men of Israel, more than Jesus' own disciples! This is not the first encounter in the Gospels where a foreigner or a woman has demonstrated greater faith than citizens, men, and disciples.
We might well reflect on this point as we examine our own attitudes and behaviors toward other people. How often do we look down on those of other genders or races? How often do we think God is only for my group or clique? God is at work in every person, in every human life, and God reveals remarkable things in each life to all willing to see.
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