DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS

St. Matthew 15:21-28          (2/3)          For the 36th Sunday after Pentecost (The 17th Sunday)

 

Learning To Pray:  St. Matthew 15:21-28, especially vs. 25: “Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’”  How many prayers offered up to God seem to fall upon deaf ears!  Exactly like the “woman of Canaan” (vs. 22), we often ask and nothing happens - it seems.  Who has not had the experience?  I petition the Lord, and there is no result - nothing - as if God chooses to remain aloof; there is no hint that He has heard a thing.  All I receive for praying is silence, not even “a word” (vs. 23) of discouragement, refusal, or even an order to wait.

When this happens, Beloved of the Lord, return to this portion of the Gospel, meditate on it, and learn from the Lord Jesus how to petition Him - on His terms.  A mother cries in prayer, and God Incarnate first appears to “turn a deaf ear.”  Actually, He is giving a detailed, step-by-step instruction on how to pray so that our petitions will be answered.  After all, the Lord Jesus did answer the prayer that the mother desired at the beginning.  Note this carefully!  The Lord reveals Himself here entirely faithful to His promise: “whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Jn. 14:13).

There are essentials to be learned from the exchange between Him Whom we call our “compassionate God” and the distraught mother who prays to Christ our God.  The most important of them appears if you will focus on that which He achieved within this mother during their meeting.  He was leading her to a new, fruitful inner state that would glorify Him and gain her the answer to that which she rightfully desired.  At each step in the process, two questions press: “What is the state of her heart?” and, “What does the Lord achieve by His response?”

At first the Canaanite woman cries “out to Him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is severely demon-possessed’” (Mt. 15:22).  As we know, “He answered her not a word” (vs. 23).  God does not respond simply because we cry in front of Him, when we merely whimper because of a genuine need.  The pain of our need is not enough with God.  He knows pain, as His Passion proves.  He also understands that people cry when confronted with serious dilemmas, as when Judas cried to the Temple authorities to stop the Crucifixion.  The Lord desires to move us from crying at our circumstances to being in His presence.

Acting obliquely with the Lord is inadequate: the woman next begins to cry after His disciples when she receives no apparent answer (vs. 23).  She still is not coming directly into the Lord Jesus’ presence.  Therefore, in her hearing, He says to the disciples: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vs. 24).  He makes a remark that seems to cast aspersions on her as a pagan idolater; but actually He seeks to awaken her to Himself.  The effect of His words snaps her out of self-pity.  Here is the Messiah.  He is able to heal not only Jews but the ills of all people of whatever culture or religion, at any time.  He is a universal Savior.

The answer of the Canaanite woman reflects the change that Christ seeks within all of us.  He promises to answer if we ask in His Name, that is, submit to His power and authority, recognize Him as Lord, and acknowledge our utter dependency on Him.  With a change of heart, she becomes direct, enters His presence, worships Him, and says, “Lord, help me!” (vs. 25).

Here is progress, but the Lord is not finished healing.  He cleanses her heart with one more reference to the social gulf between them (vs. 26), at which she casts away culture, heritage, and pride in favor of humility - the queen of virtues (vs. 27).  She evinces “great faith” (vs. 28), and He pronounces her daughter cured, granting the mother’s desire (vs. 28).

Lord Jesus Christ our God, in Thy lovingkindness regard the prayers of all who call upon Thee with their whole heart, and hear our prayers humbly offered unto Thee.

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