This Sunday we hear the story of the Canaanite woman who asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Among many things, this is a story that ought to make us reflect on how we see and treat and react to “that other person” or who we might consider an “outsider” to our inside group.
In ancient Mediterranean culture, the barrier between "us" and "them" was pretty strong. You knew who belonged to your group (and they were okay). You also knew who did not belong to your group (and you avoided them as much as possible). It was based upon such things as family relationships, religion, and place of origin.
With this in the background, it is quite surprising that the woman (a Canaanite and a Gentile) even approaches Jesus. At the same time, it shouldn’t surprise us that the disciples and even Jesus (Israelites and Jews) want to dismiss her without much of a hearing.
However, I think we need to pay attention to what happens next. Jesus gives a somewhat snarky comment, and the woman responds equally as snarky. But because of that short dialogue, as snarky as it might have been, the daughter is healed.
Why?
Some say Jesus’ mind is changed by the woman’s comment. (Maybe it was.) Others say Jesus was going to do it all along but wanted a little humorous banter first. (Perhaps that was the case.) But I think it might actually be simpler than that. I think it’s because they just talked and listened to each other. Cultural convention would have dictated that each summarily dismissed the other with not much of a thought given. After all, they were each from that other group. To each one, the other was from another camp, the other was an outsider to my opinion and world view. But surprisingly enough, each was willing to step across the barrier, to talk, to listen.
In our world of today, the set up to this story happens all the time. Republican and Democrat. Traditionalist and Reformer. Employer and Employee. Stay-at-home Advocate and Open-back-up Advocate. Mask Wearer and No-Mask Wearer. Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all place ourselves in some sort of camp or group from time to time. (Admittedly, the distinctions aren’t always as clear as I labeled them above, but if we’re honest each of us has probably said at one time or another something like, “You’re one of them.”)
Today’s Gospel challenges us to consider how we will allow the set-up of the story played out in our own lives to conclude. Will we summarily dismiss the other and stay solely on our side, entrenched in our opinions and biases? Or will we enter into dialogue with a willingness to step across the barrier we have set up and even allow ourselves the possibility that we might be changed in the process? Jesus seemed to choose one of these, and the world - at least for the sick daughter - was made new.
A poem from Edwin Markham (1852-1940) seems appropriate today.
Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out —
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
Blessings, my friends.
Poem text found at: https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/outwitted
Special thanks to Fr. John K., SM, who shared this poem at Mass this morning.
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