for August 5
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The context for today’s first reading is the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people in the 7^th century BC. Not only, however, does the prophet Jeremiah foresee its end, he broadens the perspective. When he mentions God in relation to those in all the tribes, he is including the ten tribes conquered and assimilated earlier in the 8^th century, an event that was at least after the fact attributed to their sinfulness. Those he addresses directly are the ones who fled from Jerusalem into the desert to avoid capture. Their return recalls the Israelites who God freed from slavery in Egypt and brought them through the desert into the promised land.

The Lord appearing from afar may well resonate with how the Lord seemed as if distant from the people when the tragedy unfolded. More importantly, Jeremiah reminds everyone including us about our God’s age-old love and continual mercy. The restoration and rebuilding alluded to refers to Jerusalem and its temple which indeed did occur; more cause for rejoicing would be fruitful crops as for example from vineyards.

Even Mount Ephraim, symbol of the conquered tribes referred to earlier, will be sending people forth to Jerusalem where there will be exultation and praise that the Lord has delivered his people. The remnant of Israel could be an indication of those relatively few people who fled to the desert whom the others are re-joining on journey to Jerusalem. But there is also the challenge in the prophetic tradition that even after the exile only relatively few are faithful to the covenant.

The gospel is a challenging, even disturbing story. A Canaanite woman, that is someone who is not Jewish, shows up and asks Jesus to have pity on her and her daughter. She calls Jesus Lord, probably like a formal Sir, and also Son of David, which shows she somehow learned and thus recognizes the importance of Jesus in the Jewish tradition. As she insistently calls out, the disciples request Jesus to send her away.

Jesus’ response is that he was sent only to the house of Israel. This is consistent with how Jesus sends his disciples on mission. There may be a suggestion here that Jesus’ public ministry was primarily in Jewish circles, though after his death and resurrection the proclamation was extended to all. Paul too almost always proclaimed his message first to Jewish hearers, then to non-Jewish ones. But when she persists in asking for help, even kneeling before him, Jesus’ retort about not giving children’s food to dogs is certainly rather forceful.

Yet her strong but humble response about getting what little she can results not only in the healing of her daughter but Jesus’ praise of her strong faith. How often the miracles of Jesus are in response to faith, even in this case, the faith of an outsider. It reminds me of the story where Jesus heals a paralytic in response to the faith of those who carry him in. More importantly it presages the universality of salvation.
—Edward O’Donnell

Today’s readings can be found on the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website.