Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
The Lord, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (for though the Lord had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods, Solomon had not obeyed him). So the Lord said to Solomon: «Since this is what you want, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I enjoined on you, I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant. I will not do this during your lifetime, however, for the sake of your father David; it is your son whom I will deprive. Nor will I take away the whole kingdom. I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen».
But they mingled with the nations and learned their works. They served their idols, which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. And the Lord grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance.
“Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet.”
Fr. Enric CASES i Martín (Barcelona, Spain)Today we are shown the faith of a woman who did not belong to the chosen people, but who had confidence that Jesus could cure her daughter. In fact, that mother “was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter” (Mk 7:26). Pain and love lead her to ask insistently, without regard for contempt, delays, or indignity. And she got what she asked for, because “when the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone” (Mk 7:30).
Saint Augustine said that many do not get what they ask for because they are “aut mali, aut male, aut mala.” Either they are bad and the first thing they should ask for is to be good; or they ask badly, without insistence, instead of doing so with patience, humility, faith and love; or they ask for bad things that if received would harm the soul or the body or others. We must strive, then, to ask well. The Syrophoenician woman is a good mother, she asks well (“she came and fell at his feet”) and asks for something good (that “he drive the demon out of her daughter”).
The Lord moves us to use perseveringly the prayer of petition. Certainly, there are other types of prayer—adoration, atonement, prayer of thanksgiving—but Jesus insists that we frequently pray for petitions.
Why? There could be many reasons: because we need God’s help to reach our goal; because it expresses hope and love; because it is a cry of faith. But there is one that is perhaps not considered: God wants things to be a little as we want them. In this way, our request—which is a free act—united with the omnipotent freedom of God, makes the world as God wants it and somewhat as we want it. The power of prayer is marvelous!
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“Our prayer is not heard because we ask badly, without trust in God or lacking humility and perseverance.” (Saint Augustine)
“Jesus praises the Syro-Phoenician woman who asks with insistence for the healing of her daughter. Insistence, even though she is tired, but this is an attitude of prayer. Saint Teresa speaks of prayer as a negotiation with the Lord.” (Francis)
“Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us filial boldness: ‘Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will’ (Mk 1:24). Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt (Mt 21:22): ‘all things are possible to him who believes’ (Mk 9:23) (…)” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 2610)
