Universal Faith

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge our tendency to put people in categories of worthiness that are contrary to the action of God with humanity.

Guides for our Path in Faith

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims a universalism of Salvation for the Just.

* [56:1] This opening verse echoes themes that are well known throughout the Book of Isaiah: justice and right judgment (1:27; 5:7, 16; 9:6; 16:5; 26:9; 28:17; 32:1, 16; 33:5; 42:1, 4, 6; 45:8, 13, 19), salvation and deliverance (12:3; 26:18; 33:2; 45:8, 21; 46:13; 51:5, 6, 8). These themes will be developed also throughout Third Isaiah.

* [56:7] This verse continues the theme of universalism found in Is 49:6. As Israel was to be “a light to the nations” so that God’s “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth,” so now does that come to pass as foreigners, faithful to the divine commands, are brought to the Temple by God and joined to the covenant community of Israel. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 56 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 67 prays “May God be gracious to us”.

* [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 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Letter of Paul to the Romans proclaims the Gentiles’ Salvation through God’s Irrevocable Call.

* [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.

* [11:25–29] 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.

* [11:30–32] Israel, together with the Gentiles who have been handed over to all manner of vices (Rom 1), has been delivered…to disobedience. The conclusion of Rom 11:32 repeats the thought of Rom 5:20, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” (Romans, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus declares the Canaanite Woman’s Faith.

* [15:21–28] See note on Mt 8:5–13. (Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [8:5–13] This story comes from Q (see Lk 7:1–10) and is also reflected in Jn 4:46–54. The similarity between the Q story and the Johannine is due to a common oral tradition, not to a common literary source. As in the later story of the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21–28) Jesus here breaks with his usual procedure of ministering only to Israelites and anticipates the mission to the Gentiles. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

A Member of the Creighton University Community comments that a theme running through today’s readings is that of universalism. Universalism is at the root of Christianity, indeed the very word Catholic means precisely, “all-encompassing.”

The reason I can proclaim the gospel in English is precisely universalism, since the Gospel was not initially proclaimed in English and in fact it was not even proclaimed in Greek, the language of the written gospels, but in Aramaic. After centuries of circling the wagons, the Church has regained this universal perspective and ecumenism has been strongly present in the Second Vatican Council and in the Popes since that council. 

A non-adversarial attitude. (Member of the Creighton University Community, n.d.)

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.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in the passage in Trito-Isaiah, post 539 BCE after the Exile in Babylon, that there are many Gentiles who have joined Israel. The Jewish people who remained in Jerusalem were more open to these new people but those returned wanted to keep Israel separate and holy. Friar Jude points to the former attitude in Jonah and the latter in Haggai and Zachariah to purify themselves. Paul is not calling for rejection of Jews but to convert them by showing the pagans can be saved and in their jealousy they may want to be saved too. God’s full plan is beyond our understanding. Everything, mistakes too, are an opportunity for God to show love and mercy. A Canaanite pagan woman, in Matthew, is told Jesus comes for Israel. Even as some hints in Magi, Centurian, and this woman that this may be a sarcastic and critical saying from Jesus to reveal her cleverness that moves Jesus. Friar Jude comments that she insists, as we should, when we pray to be clever and we may find what we truly need.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28 comments that the Canaanite woman was eager to believe. She believed he had the power and the willingness to work a miracle. As a result, she, a Gentile, experienced his love and power: her daughter “was healed from that hour” (Matthew 15:28).

This woman’s trust endeared her to Jesus—and to readers of Matthew’s Gospel ever since. Just as Jesus commended her faith, he welcomes all of us when we come to him with humble faith. He wants to shower his healing and “mercy upon all” (Romans 11:32). So if you hesitate to bring your needs to Jesus—or to return to the sacraments after time away—let this mother’s faith strengthen yours!

“Jesus, I believe in you!” (Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes why the example and message of the Hebrew prophets continue to be important for us today. There must be someone—or several someones—in every age who can tell the faith community, and society at large: Your first egoic glance at life—and God—­is largely wrong! And it is largely engendered by fear. “No one else is your problem,” says the prophet. “You are your own problem.

We must be eternally conscious of this fact: For the untransformed self, religion is the most dangerous temptation of all. Our egos, when they are validated by religion, are given full permission to enslave, segregate, demean, defraud, and inflate—because all bases are covered with pre-ascribed virtue and a supposed hatred of evil. This is what the prophets expose in their wholesale assault on temple worship, priestly classes, self- serving commandments, and intergenerational wealth. “Be very careful here!” they keep shouting. The prophets know that religion is the best and that religion also risks being the worst. We love to choose sides and declare ourselves sinless and pure and orthodox (“right”), with little evidence that it is true. This is always a surprise to everyone except the prophets. (Rohr, n.d.)

We praise the Spirit as we witness how God calls people of all heritage and history to join Him to be witness to love, faith, and hope as gifts from the Divine for all His siblings.

References

Isaiah, CHAPTER 56 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/56?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15?21 

Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8? 

Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/16/1648333/ 

Member of the Creighton University Community. (n.d.). Daily Reflection August 16, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-16-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 67 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/67?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Naming Our Idolatry. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/naming-our-idolatry/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/11? 

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 16, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Help and Hypocrisy

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be aware of the "worthiness" of all God’s children to live in the Love and Care of the Creator.

Help for All People

In the Reading from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul describes his Ministry Among Them.

* [2:4] Judged worthy: Paul regards “worthiness” not as grounded in one’s own talent or moral self-righteousness but in God’s discernment of genuinely selfless attitudes and actions (see 2 Cor 10:17–18).

* [2:7] Gentle: many excellent manuscripts read “infants” (nēpioi), but “gentle” (ēpioi) better suits the context here. (1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 139 is keenly aware of God’s all-knowing gaze.

* [Psalm 139] A hymnic meditation on God’s omnipresence and omniscience. The psalmist is keenly aware of God’s all-knowing gaze (Ps 139:1–6), of God’s presence in every part of the universe (Ps 139:7–12), and of God’s control over the psalmist’s very self (Ps 139:13–16). Summing up Ps 139:1–16, 17–18 express wonder. There is only one place hostile to God’s rule—wicked people. The psalmist prays to be removed from their company (Ps 139:19–24). (Psalms, PSALM 139 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew continues Jesus' denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees.

* [23:23] The Mosaic law ordered tithing of the produce of the land (Lv 27:30; Dt 14:22–23), and the scribal tradition is said here to have extended this law to even the smallest herbs. The practice is criticized not in itself but because it shows the Pharisees’ preoccupation with matters of less importance while they neglect the weightier things of the law.

* [23:24] Cf. Lv 11:41–45 that forbids the eating of any “swarming creature.” The Pharisees’ scrupulosity about minor matters and neglect of greater ones (Mt 23:23) is further brought out by this contrast between straining liquids that might contain a tiny “swarming creature” and yet swallowing the camel. The latter was one of the unclean animals forbidden by the law (Lv 11:4), but it is hardly possible that the scribes and Pharisees are being denounced as guilty of so gross a violation of the food laws. To swallow the camel is only a hyperbolic way of speaking of their neglect of what is important.

* [23:25–26] The ritual washing of utensils for dining (cf. Mk 7:4) is turned into a metaphor illustrating a concern for appearances while inner purity is ignored. The scribes and Pharisees are compared to cups carefully washed on the outside but filthy within. Self-indulgence: the Greek word here translated means lack of self-control, whether in drinking or in sexual conduct. (Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

Greg Dyche is tempted to sit with Jesus and judge the hypocrites. “Woe to me.” How easy it is to become a Pharisee, a hypocrite.

Even as I am writing this reflection and thinking of examples to discuss, I keep thinking of how others have failed or misjudged or applied justice instead of love. I am using my own judgment to spot the flaws in others. Woe to me indeed. 

I must remember to pray and look in the mirror. I love today’s Psalm 139, “… you know me, Lord.” Why lie to God while praying? Why not be honest? I lie to myself first. I rewrite my own history. I explain away my reasons. I lean on fictional intentions. It’s painful to be transparent. How much easier it is for me to walk away from shame, start new, somewhere else? I do not like being vulnerable, relying on the forgiveness of others. Maybe I should practice forgiving? Maybe I should recall the Bible is talking to me? Maybe I should be honest in my prayers and go to confession a little more often? Maybe I should use shame as a signal that it’s time to “clean the inside of the cup”? (Dyche, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Neglecting Weighty Matters of Love and Justice,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Not only among the Jews but among ourselves as well, we find people sinning in these ways. They are swallowing camels. People of this type frequently show off their religion even in the smallest of things. They are rightly called hypocrites for wanting to exploit their religiosity before men but being unwilling to undertake that very faith which God himself has justified. Therefore the imitators of the scribes and Pharisees must be dislodged and sent away from us, lest a woe touches us in the same way it touches them. The scribes could be described as those who valued nothing found in the Scriptures except its plain sense interpreted legalistically. Meanwhile they condemn those who look into the very depths of God himself. Mint and dill and cummin are only spices for food but are not themselves substantial food. What substantive food would mean in conversion would be that which is necessary for the justification of our souls - faith and love - unlike these legalisms, which are more like condiments and flavorings. It is as if a meal might be thought to consist more of condiments and flavorings than the food itself. The seriousness of judgment is neglected while great attention is given to minor matters. Spiritual exercises which in and of themselves are hardly justice are spoken of as justice and compassion and faith. It is lacking in justice to treat these small parts as the whole. When we do not offer to God the observance of all that is necessary for worship, we fail altogether." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 19-20) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 23:23-26 comments that we can do something similar to these scribes and Pharisees. The choices we make about how we express our faith can demonstrate our reverence for the Lord. But we shouldn’t make every choice into a universal, hard-and-fast law that everyone should follow.

Let’s allow room for the people around us to be led by the Lord in how they respond to him. Let’s give them the gift of our patience and graciousness when their choices don’t match ours. Because if we’re holding other people up to our own yardstick, we’re missing the “weightier things of the law.” Which are? Choosing to trust God’s judgment instead of our own and showing his mercy and faithfulness to everyone around us (Matthew 23:23). That’s the heart of the gospel!

“Jesus, help me to keep you at the center of all the little ways I express my faith!” (Meditation on Matthew 23:23-26, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that  Paul speaks about Thessalonika after being beaten in Phillippi. Paul defends himself that their motives were not impure. Paul gives his message initially in synagogue and then in the market and Paul did not seek payment but cared as a nursing mother. He loves them with Mothers and Fathers love. Friar Jude looks at a possible soccer game reaction from “father” and “mother”. We need the mix of mothers and fathers love. The idea is that we need a mix of approaches to be balanced. The Gospel of Matthew continues denunciation of scribes and Pharisees who do silly things and ignore the important things. Friar Jude notes Jesus is using Jewish exaggeration to look inside for blunder and self indulgence, teaching that good or bad comes from the heart.

Fr. Richard Rohr introduces Sikh activist and author Valarie Kaur who recalls an experience of a childhood friendship ending because of a difference in faith. Kaur visits a church where she can confront a Christian about the belief in a God who discriminates against people of other faiths. There, she meets a church organist and recalls saying…

“I just can’t believe that there could be a God who would send me to hell,” I said. There was a pause as she looked at me. I was ready to fight.  

“I can’t either,” she said. She saw my shock and explained. “I think that there are many paths. It just doesn’t make sense otherwise….” Her name was Faye and she was the first Christian I had ever met who did not believe I was going to hell. I would go on to meet many more people like her and learn that there are many ways to be Christian, just as there are many ways to be Sikh. Our traditions are like treasure chests filled with scriptures, songs, and stories—some empower us to cast judgment and others shimmer with the call to love above all…. 

Fifteen years after I thought our friendship was over, Lisa would reach out with an apology. She would still be Christian and I would still be Sikh, but she would have long abandoned the particular theology that had tried to sever us from one another. She had gone on her own journey … and had eventually come back to our friendship. In the end, we learned that love was the way, the truth, and the life. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We recall our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader and invoke the Spirit to guide us in the Way, Truth, and Life that celebrates all Creation as witness to God.

References

Dyche, G. (2025, August 26). Daily Reflection August 26, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-26-2025 

Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/23?23 

Meditation on Matthew 23:23-26. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/2?1 

Psalms, PSALM 139 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/139?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC.org. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/overcoming-an-exclusionary-faith/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Neglect Justice, Mercy and Faith. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug26