The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to be open to the needs of those beyond our familiar communities who are moved by the Spirit to seek full life.
In the reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, the Covenant is extended to all who obey.
* [56:1–8] This poem inaugurates the final section of the Book of Isaiah, often referred to as Third or Trito-Isaiah. While Second or Deutero-Isaiah (Is 40–55) gave numerous references to the hopes of the community of Israel during the Babylonian exile (ca. 587–538 B.C.), Third Isaiah witnesses to the struggles and hoped-for blessings of the postexilic community now back in the homeland of Israel. In this opening poem, the references to “keeping the sabbath” (vv. 2, 4, 6), “holding fast to the covenant” (vv. 4, 6) and “God’s holy mountain” as a house of prayer (v. 7), all tell of the postexilic community that was establishing itself again in the land according to the pattern of God’s word given through the prophet. The poem can be classified as a “prophetic exhortation” in which the prophet gives instruction for those who wish to live according to God’s word and covenant. What is important to note are the conditions placed upon the people of God; while Is 40–55 show an unconditional promise of redemption, these final chapters delineate clear expectations for receiving God’s salvific promises. Both the expectations and the great promises of God will unfold in the succeeding chapters of Third Isaiah. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 56, n.d.)
In Psalm 67, the Nations are called to praise God.
* [Psalm 67] A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.
* [67:2] May God be gracious to us: the people’s petition echoes the blessing pronounced upon them by the priests, cf. Nm 6:22–27. (Psalms, PSALM 67, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans considers the Gentiles’ salvation and that the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
* [11:11–15] The unbelief of the Jews has paved the way for the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles and for their easier acceptance of it outside the context of Jewish culture. Through his mission to the Gentiles Paul also hopes to fill his fellow Jews with jealousy. Hence he hastens to fill the entire Mediterranean world with the gospel. Once all the Gentile nations have heard the gospel, Israel as a whole is expected to embrace it. This will be tantamount to resurrection of the dead, that is, the reappearance of Jesus Christ with all the believers at the end of time.
* [11:16–24] Israel remains holy in the eyes of God and stands as a witness to the faith described in the Old Testament because of the firstfruits (or the first piece baked) (Rom 11:16), that is, the converted remnant, and the root that is holy, that is, the patriarchs (Rom 11:16). The Jews’ failure to believe in Christ is a warning to Gentile Christians to be on guard against any semblance of anti-Jewish arrogance, that is, failure to recognize their total dependence on divine grace.
* [11:25–29] In God’s design, Israel’s unbelief is being used to grant the light of faith to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, Israel remains dear to God (cf. Rom 9:13), still the object of special providence, the mystery of which will one day be revealed. (Romans, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus recognizes the Canaanite Woman’s Faith.
* [15:21–28] See note on Mt 8:5–13.
* [15:24] See note on Mt 10:5–6.
* [15:26] The children: the people of Israel. Dogs: see note on Mt 7:6.
* [15:28] As in the case of the cure of the centurion’s servant (Mt 8:10), Matthew ascribes Jesus’ granting the request to the woman’s great faith, a point not made equally explicit in the Marcan parallel (Mk 7:24–30). (Matthew, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Mirielle Mason comments that Christianity is not a religion for one kind of people.
Jesus died for the sins of every person on earth. This included the Canaanites! If Jesus could learn to minister to them, I hope we can learn to cater to all people in our world today. The readings show us this as well, most prominently here: “all who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain.” He could have said “to the Jews who keep my covenant…” but he did not. He said all… (Mason, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “The Mother of the Gentiles,” by Epiphanius the Latin late 5th century).
"After our Lord departed from the Jews, he came into the regions of Tyre and Sidon. He left the Jews behind and came to the Gentiles. Those whom he had left behind remained in ruin; those to whom he came obtained salvation in their alienation. And a woman came out of that territory and cried, saying to him, 'Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David!' O great mystery! The Lord came out from the Jews, and the woman came out from her Gentile territory. He left the Jews behind, and the woman left behind idolatry and an impious lifestyle. What they had lost, she found. The one whom they had denied in the law, she professed through her faith. This woman is the mother of the Gentiles, and she knew Christ through faith. Thus on behalf of her daughter (the Gentile people) she entreated the Lord. The daughter had been led astray by idolatry and sin and was severely possessed by a demon." (excerpt from INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 58) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 comments that through these readings, we can hear God asking us to reach out to those people who might feel they don’t belong in his house.
Jesus’ heart breaks for those who don’t yet know him. He is always reaching out to them, calling them into his house. And he does that by leading them to believers who do know him. That’s us. All we have to do is befriend those people and share with them how the Lord has touched our lives. We don’t have to do it perfectly, either. We just have to try, and the Spirit will work through us.
So who will God send to you today?
“Lord, open my heart to share your love with the people you put in my path today.” (Meditation on Isaiah 56:1, 6-7, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that after the Exile in Babylon, Trito-Isaiah reaches out to foreigners with an invitation to the Covenant. The tension between wanting to reach out and wanting to purify continues in the Church today. Paul envisions the action of the mercy of God in the jealousy of the Jews as he invites the Gentiles to accept a relationship with Christ. Friar Jude reminds us of Jesus' actions to reach out to those we would not expect.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, is convinced that God’s justice in the Bible is fundamentally loving and restorative rather than punitive.
Love is the only thing that transforms the human heart. In the Gospels, we see Jesus fully revealing this divine wisdom. Love takes the shape and symbolism of healing and radical forgiveness—which is just about all that Jesus does. Jesus, who represents God, usually transforms people at the moments when they most hate themselves, when they most feel shame or guilt, or want to punish themselves. Look at Jesus’ interaction with the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10). He doesn’t belittle or punish Zacchaeus; instead, Jesus goes to his home, shares a meal with him, and treats him like a friend. Zacchaeus’ heart is opened and transformed. Only then does Zacchaeus commit to making reparations for the harm he has done.
As Isaiah says of God, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). Yet I am afraid we largely pulled God down into “our thoughts.” We think fear, anger, divine intimidation, threat, and punishment are going to lead people to love. We cannot lead people to the highest level of motivation by teaching them the lowest. God always and forever models the highest, and our task is merely to “imitate God” (Ephesians 5:1). (Rohr, 2023)
We seek enlightenment from the Spirit to support people who are reaching out for life from places of inquiry about Christ.
References
Isaiah, CHAPTER 56. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/56?1
Mason, M. (2023, August 19). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082023.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15?21
Meditation on Isaiah 56:1, 6-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/20/763666/
Psalms, PSALM 67. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/67?2
Rohr, R. (2023, August 20). Divine Love Restores — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/divine-love-restores-2023-08-20/
Romans, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/11?13
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Great Is Your Faith! Be It Done for You as You Desire. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug20
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