Sermons Based on the Lectionary of the Syrian Orthodox Church

Fourth Sunday in Great Lent (Knanaitho / Canaanite Woman)

Sermon / Homily on Matthew 15: 21-28

Faith of the Canaanite Woman

by Fr. Andrew

What can we say about the faith of the Canaanite woman?

As a Canaanite woman she is a lower class citizen in two ways: she is a woman and comes from a backward people. There is very little hope for a person like this - few people, if any, treat her with respect. This might seem forward to us today in our world of information and telephones, but even today, in India and China, baby girls are being aborted simply because they are girls, and many people struggle to be accepted because of their country of origin.

Yet despite the odds stacked against her, she pushes toward the front the crowd, probably struggling against the various villagers telling her to be still, quiet, and to keep her thoughts to herself. Soon she cries out "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." What a personal revelation, instead of protecting herself, puffing herself up, she reveals her weakness! Her daughter, her dear one is afflicted by a demon.

Jesus' refusal isn't callous, cold, or cruel, but a statement of his mission at that time. The Canaanite woman pushes herself forward. Jesus' response may seem cruel, but it is a description of his mission to the People of Israel that precedes his mission to the rest of the world after his Resurrection. He uses an analogy and says "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."

Her response is beautiful. We might be put off, we might protest and walk away- but her faith endures and she says, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." And then our Lord heals the woman's daughter.

So what is our lesson today? What can we say about our faith?

There are many people and politicians who say that faith should be private. Maybe even some of us here believe that our faith should not influence the rest of our lives. None of us doubt that our faith should be personal: intensely touching everything that makes us who we are, just like this Canaanite woman. But what if that Canaanite woman had kept her faith silent and private? What if she had separated her faith from her outward life? This spring and this lenten season is a new beginning. What miracle, what justice does our Lord look to accomplish through your personal and public faith?

See Also:

Healing of the Cananite Woman's Daughter
by Rev. Dn. Philip Mathew
The Perseverance of Faith - Matthew 15:28
by Charles H. Spurgeon
Yelping Puppies, The Canaanite Woman
by Pastor Edward F. Markquart
Crumbs from the Master's Table
by Hubert Beck
God of Mongrels
by the Rev. Dr. Gail Ricciuti
Canaanite Woman
by Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
Sermons, Bible Commentaries and Bible Analyses for 4th Sunday in Great Lent (Canaanite Woman)

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