I have always liked the story of the Canaanite woman in the Gospel of Matthew, especially in the way in which it allows Jesus to grow in his ministry and in the way he sees that his message is intended for the whole world. I remember a friend’s shocked reaction when I told him that I believe that Jesus did grow and develop in his ministry and in his perspective of things. I admire the courage and tenacity of the Canaanite woman. She never gives up. She never loses faith. In fact, it is her faith that propels her to be persistent and patient. It is through her great faith that Jesus brings healing into her life.
Then we hear from prophet Jeremiah today: “The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.” Jeremiah’s cry, which we pray in our responsorial psalm today, should be at the forefront of our minds as well. With so many other things in the world trying to get our allegiance and our attention, we need the Lord to be our shepherd even more than ever. As we have seen in recent month, so many see our faith, our church, and our saints as subject of attack and ridicule, seeing the Lord as our shepherd who guards us and protects us is an important reassurance for us to have.
May be aspire to have the faith and tenacity of the Canaanite woman. May the Lord always been seen as our shepherd.
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