“REMINISCERE 2024”
Saint Matthew 15: 21-28
Reminiscere: 25 February Anno Domini 2024
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
Jesus now comes to you. He came to England, Germany, Spain, and America. He came to Tyre and Sidon. None of these places are where the Old Testament Hebrews were dominant. They were lands of pagans. They were lands of Gentiles. Jesus now comes to you. He comes to Kansas to this town, this village called Augsburg. But because Jesus came you are no longer mere Gentiles but the new Israel—Christians. You are no longer pagans.
The woman of Canaan was clearly no Old Testament Canaanite. She was no unbelieving enemy of God’s Kingdom. This woman is perfect picture of both the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Church Catholic; whom of course St. Mary represents and typifies. This Canaanite Christian woman is you.
She cried out to Jesus. So did you. I heard you. Right after the Introit you sang her plaintive heart-felt petition, the Kyrie. “Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, Lord have mercy upon us.” Three times for the great need to be sure. Three time for you Trinitarian Lord and God most definitely. You too know that Jesus is the Son of David, that He is Christ Son of the living God. You know and believe that Christ IS God and that His two perfect natures—perfect God (one with The Father) and perfect man (born of the Virgin, literal fleshly descendent of King David) unite in ONE Redeemer. You believe He redeems you.
You are in the same condition as this faithful woman whether you think you are or not. She has a daughter who is “grievously vexed with a devil.” We are not told about the manifestations. We know through our Lord’s interactions with other demoniacs (the man of the tombs possessed by Legion, the father with the son who was hurled into fires by a devil, and others) that it is hells tentacles horribly punishing God’s creatures. But you also clearly confess that you have enemies: sin, death, and the devil. Was King David “possessed” by Satan during his deliberative and presumption sin with Bathsheba? Well not in a Hollywood movie kind of way, but yes! Yes, he was. Anytime you willingly give in to sinful temptations and “go” with your sinful heart, you are under the temporary black cloud of Satan. Jesus speaks: repent and believe! The Holy Ghost calls you by The Gospel (Christ crucified for your forgiveness) and gathers you. Here you are gathered today. The demons scuttle away. The black cloud is vaporized by He Who is Light of Light!
You confess the theological precepts of grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone. Good. Fine. Necessary. But if you are not a damnable sinner, in and of yourselves, why would you need them. You value Mercy, Mercy from God—but only if you need it. Only if you are miserable, for mercy is only for the miserable.
Many Christians have children who are demon possessed in many and various ways. From sexual sins, gender sins; both being 2nd Table trespasses which end up participating in breaking the other commandments of love for neighbor; to the sin of apostasy and rejecting Jesus altogether; the atheistic/agnostic/pagan rejecting of the 1st Commandment. We pray for our children, spouses, grandkids, and close friends when they are enmeshed in these types of “possessions.” We pray for ourselves that we would be protected from these diabolical attacks. And just like the Canaanite woman, many (the majority) of times God does not answer us the way we demand, i.e., instantly and to our specification. Stop being like yourself—a weak, entitled, lazy, post-Christian (well, your environment in the post-Christian West) weakling, and “quit ye like men.” Be like Paul. But also, be like the Canaanite woman.
Jesus rebuffed her. Jesus seemingly was not going to help her. Jesus insulted her. She did not care.
Some of you pray, maybe, now, and then. Pray more. Some of you read the Bible-sort of. Read more but focus. Read John’s Gospel over and over. Read Romans over and over. Travel with Jesus. Be with Jesus. Jesus is with you. He hears your cries for help. He does help.
And when you think He is ignoring you He is most assuredly not. Repent and believe. Be the dog. Be loyal to your Master unto death. Your Master was loyal to The Father unto death; loyal to you His brothers and sisters. He gave His Body that you might eat The Bread of Life in His Flesh and Blood.
No crumbs from the table but The Victory Feast of healing and peace and Resurrection from The Holy Altar—the Throne of the Most High.
Your Faith is great because your Faith is THE FAITH; the Faith of Jesus given to you as gift. All of you daughters—i.e., the Church, and all of your actual daughters, and sons, and loved ones, will be made well; in this world or the next. And you are made well from this very hour. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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