HUMILITY+FAITH=MERCY

 Wednesday of week 18 in Ordinary Time 

 or Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Virgin, Martyr 


First Reading. Numbers 13: 1-2, 25-14: 1, 26-29, 34-35

Psalm. 106: 6-7, 13-14, 21-23 (R. see 4a)

Gospel. Matthew 15: 21-28


TOPIC FOR REFLECTION


 *MERCY IS HUMILITY + FAITH* 

In this life, many of us value respect more than personality. However, have we forgotten that a good personality attracts respect, while a bad personality attracts disrespect?


Almost all of us want people to say good things about us, but do we say good things about others?

We always want to hear positive approval of ourselves from people, but do we rejoice when we hear a positive remark about others?

In short, many of us often feel a sense of self-importance than behaving importantly. Hmm, but the truth is that any person who feels a sense of importance is a POOR PROUD person, while those who behave importantly are HUMBLE people.


My dear, our self-ego has placed us on a scale that is higher above the sky.

We abhor insult but pride ourselves.

In short, many of us can not accept NO as an answer, not to talk of insult.


The truth is that proud people are arrogant by nature, they often lure things over others, but can never allow anyone to lure things over them.

Just try to insult a proud person, and then you will realize that you have destroyed his/her egoistic empty Castle empire; such may not forgive you until he revenge.

This is one reason many proud persons lack faith in God.

The lack of faith exercised by a proud person most often brings about ill luck to them, because they are never patient.


Now, imagine if it was a proud woman who encountered Jesus in today's Gospel, she might have insulted Jesus and told Him to go to hell, and her daughter will remain on the sick bed.


On the contrary, humble people are gentle by nature, and they do not lure things over others. They are cool-headed and easy-going. Their gentle patient nature helps their faith become strongly firm in the Lord.

Humble people are very resilient and do not give up easily.

This is the type of person the Canaanite woman is in today's Gospel who approached Jesus...


CANAANITE WOMAN: Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.

JESUS: (Did not reply)

JESUS' DISCIPLES: (They came begging Jesus) Send her away, for she is crying after us.

JESUS: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

CANAANITE WOMAN: (She knelt begging Jesus) Lord, help me.

JESUS: It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it at the dogs.

CANAANITE WOMAN: Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.

JESUS: O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.


Instantly, her daughter was healed.


I guess following the explanations above, and the conversation that came up between Jesus and the woman, we could deduce the following lessons:

1. Humility is the root of Faith

2. Humility attracts both God's and man's favour

3. Humility helps one not to take things personally.

4. Humility helps one to overcome the test of faith with time, just as it helps the woman to overcome the test of faith with Jesus.

NOTE: No proud person can pass the test of faith with time, because their arrogant nature makes them impatient.

5. With Faith rooted in Humility, one will enjoy the abundance and everlasting MERCY of God forever.


 *Peace ✌️ be with you.* 


 *Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS*.


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