Recherche

image-i-nations trésor

Mt.15:21-28

20th Sunday of Year A – 2020

14 août 2020
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advice, help, learn, methods, Mt.15:21-28, Mt.6:8, pray, words

Praying… an activity which always finds us in need to learn –
to learn how to approach God and, of course, what to say when we are in his presence.

Bookshops and libraries are full of material published precisely to guide us with methods and advice about praying.
Many spiritual authors suggest what they consider the best way to pray; their thoughts and suggestions cover many pages.

The Syrophoenician woman we meet in today’s gospel (Mt.15:21-28) may not have known how to read, but…
she knew how to pray, and how to pray well:

“Lord, have mercy on me.
Lord, help me.”
 
Few words – short words – simple words –
but words that touched Jesus to the point that he did for that woman precisely what she was asking for.

Why do we sometimes think that God needs long explanations of our needs and detailed requests for his assistance?
Jesus has assured us: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt.6:8)
 
The Syrophoenician woman was right after all!
“Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, help me” – this could be enough… could it not?

 

Note: This gospel scene is also offered in video format at: https://youtu.be/M-KMEFoxhSE

And another reflection on a similar theme in French can be found at: https://image-i-nations.com/20e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/

 

Source: Image: theministryofezra.com

 

 

 

A woman, a pagan…

17 août 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: faith, Jesus, Mt.15:21-28, pagan, persévérance, prayer, sick daughter, Syrophoenician woman, the apostles, the Master, trust, woman
She was a woman, a pagan woman,
looked down upon and despised by the Jews.
She was not put off nor discouraged by a silent or verbal refusal –
the Syrophoenician woman knew better than to give up asking!…

A reflection on this gospel can be found at: 

http://image-i-nations.com/20th-sunday-of-year-a/

20th Sunday of Year A

17 août 2017
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: answer, endurance, Jesus, Jews, Mt.15:21-28, pagan, persévérance, request, steadfasness, the Master, woman

I know a young man called William who was looking for work. It is not easy nowadays to find a job when so many are being laid off.
He went to a Bank but was not lucky. He then contacted an Insurance Company but was not accepted. A bookshop did not need his services either.
Discouraged, he sat at home watching television and lamenting the situation.

A neighbour was also looking for employment. He sent his CV with the application form to the same Insurance Company where William had tried his luck. The reply came that they did not need him. He went to their office to meet the manager and was told he had travelled. That young man went back again and again. Every month he appeared in the office and after three months he got what he wanted. His perseverance had paid off: he was employed.

In today’s gospel (20th Sunday of Year A – Mt.15:21-28) we meet a woman who shows that same kind of attitude.
Some people would say that she would not take ‘No’ for an answer.
In fact, she was not even put off by a rather blunt rebuff by Jesus himself who said to her:
“It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.”
 
Her reply was quick, witty and to the point:
“Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.”
 
That woman did not have ‘qualifications’ that would make it likely that her request would be granted.
She was only a woman, a simple, ordinary woman.
And she was seen as a pagan by the Jews of the time since she did not belong to the chosen people of God.
Yet, she kept on asking, and asking, and pursuing the one they called ‘the Master’ until she was given what she wanted!
 
Perseverance, endurance, steadfastness, some would call it: ‘stick-to-itness’!
Not to give up, not to be put off, not to abandon what one is asking for.
Not to get discouraged even if the answer is slow in coming or seems… never to come!

It seems that this is exactly what God admires and… yields to when we pray!

A video can be seen on this gospel scene at:

A woman, a pagan…

Source: Images: Free Bible Images

20è dimanche de l’année A

17 août 2017
Nicole Gregoire
1 commentaire
Catégories: Trésor ancien et nouveau
Mots-clés: Cananéenne, Dieu, évangile, femme, foi, guérison, Jesus, malade, Mt.15:21-28, païenne, rebuffade, réponse, silence

Les auteurs spirituels, les mystiques spécialement, ont écrit sur ‘Le silence de Dieu’ – des choses profondes, des choses parfois difficiles à comprendre et peut-être… déroutantes.

Et voici que l’évangile d’aujourd’hui (20è dimanche de l’année A – Mt.15 :21-28) nous présente… le silence de Jésus et lui aussi est déroutant.
C’est d’abord la réponse – silencieuse – qu’il donne à une femme païenne (une non-juive, dans le langage du temps) qui l’a approché en lui demandant de guérir sa fille.
« Il ne lui répondit pas un mot. »
 
Déroutant, ça l’est vraiment, et cette attitude nous semble hors-caractère chez Jésus que l’on voit constamment guérir les gens qui viennent à lui.
Plus déconcertante encore est la réponse qu’il adresse ensuite à la femme en disant :
« Il n’est pas bien de prendre le pain des enfants et de le jeter aux petits chiens. »

Plusieurs jugent ces paroles de Jésus très dures, dénuées de toute compassion pour une mère qui craint pour la vie de son enfant.
Mais la réplique de la femme est si juste et dénote un tel à-propos qu’elle ne peut que susciter notre admiration :
« Oui, Seigneur ; mais justement, les petits chiens mangent les miettes qui tombent de la table de leurs maîtres. »
 
Sa réplique lui a valu de recevoir ce qu’elle désirait si ardemment : la guérison de sa fille.
Mais ce n’est pas surtout la justesse et l’à-propos de sa réponse qui ont obtenu cette faveur mais… sa FOI !
« Grande est ta foi… »

Une FOI capable de faire face à l’apparente distance de Dieu…
Une FOI capable de soutenir un silence qui a goût de rejet…
Une FOI capable de recevoir une rebuffade évidente… 

Une FOI qui sait braver tout ce qui pourrait décourager et ose s’exprimer d’une façon qui interpelle Dieu.
Quelle FOI qui peut émerveiller Dieu lui-même !

Source: Images: LDS.org

On peut voir aussi la vidéo sur ce texte de l’Évangile à: https://youtu.be/QfU0_xapiGA

20è dimanche de l’année A

 

 

 

æ