by Fr. Oscar

Brother and sisters,

The word of God is written and is proclaimed for our well–being and spiritual growth.

It is our duty to look at what Jesus does as well as listen to what He tells us. By taking the time to look and listen we will be able to profoundly understand what is being revealed to us.

We receive His word and by receiving it we are changed.

Today, for example, in the gospel that we just heard, we see how the disciple Matthew tells us about a very extraordinary meeting – Jesus and a woman – but above all a Canaanite woman and by using this adjective "Canaanite," the disciple Matthew wants to point out that the woman is not a member of the Israelites. The conversation deals with Jesus’ ministry, and how it must be manifested or expressed to the people of Israel who are the promised people.

Therefore, it is these people, that God, by means of the prophets, declared His promise of salvation and Jesus wants to clearly bequeath this before all those who are listening to Him.

Nevertheless, the answer that the woman gives is to be used to express to all the listeners that the Word of God and His saving act is for the goodwill of all men and women and the humility that she demonstrates is proof of the necessity to present ourselves humbly before the presence of God our Father to make our petitions and to be able to receive from Him His benefits.

Sometimes, it worries me to find so many people that say they are followers of Jesus, but, they often listen to what God says and sees what God does, but when they present themselves before Him, they present themselves with an arrogant and bold attitude. And then it makes me ask this question – does God have to do what I ask Him or do I have to do what God asks of me?

I remember a parable that says that one day a man went to a monastery, where the monks lived. The monks were very happy and filled with a peace that they transmitted without, any need of saying anything. The man was very impressed with this and asked one of the monks how is it that nowadays they can live in this way. The monk answered him that it was God’s miracle.

For many of us, we consider it a miracle when God gives us what we desire, however, in that monastery the miracle was that the monks humbly did what God asked them and then they could live in God’s presence.