TWENTIETH SUNDAY-A Aug 17, 2008

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm: 67 Romans 11: 13-15,29-32 Matt 15: 21-28

Theme: What is the place of the outsider, the foreigner in our church?

1. For the Jewish Community, the two places where they could encounter God was on the Mountain and in the Temple. Whenever Moses or the prophets received God’s message, it was on a mountain: Mount Sinai, Mount Horeb, Mount Tabor. The transfiguration was a good example in the New Testament. The other sacred space was the Temple which housed the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant. It was in the sanctuary of the Temple that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, received his mandate or message from the angel.

Now Isaiah tells us that these two places are Sacred Spaces where God will speak not only to the People of Israel, but to all people. All are welcome to the Mountain. God’s mercy and salvation is open to everyone. God mercy and love is universal. People who are narrow minded and insecure would find this doctrine hard to accept. If we think we are the privileged few, then it is hard to open the doors to those we consider the riff-raff, or as one of my professors would say: the hoi-polloi. It would depreciate the value of our neighbourhood.

2. Isaiah was speaking to a chosen people after they had returned from the exile. It must have been hard to accept this openness especially for the remnant, the few who had remained faithful to the traditions, the teachings and the covenant. Are all our efforts going to count for nothing? Is the new comer going to get the same privileges as we who struggled to keep our orthodoxy? Paul picks up the same theme of Isaiah.

3. In Paul’s time, the Jewish Christians thought they were the elite because they had both the law and prophets on their side. Furthermore they had the Temple. However, in Rome, the Gentiles were in the majority. Although Paul had never met them, he had to keep a delicate balance. He had to be politically correct.

To the Gentiles he said, you disobeyed because of your ignorance, but now you have been reconciled.

To the Jewish-Christians he said, you have fallen away, but there is still time to come back

The bottom line is that the Love of God like the gentle rain falls on all: Jews and Gentiles alike. God had made a promise to the People of Israel and would not go back on those promises. Gentiles also would find the gates of salvation open because God’s generosity knew no bounds.

4. In our Gospel, we have Jesus saying to the Woman who has a sick child, “It is not right to take the food and throw it to the dogs. These are rather harsh words from Jesus who described himself as meek and humble of heart. Authors have said the story is a question of whether Jesus was just teasing the woman or was the woman putting Jesus to the test. If Jesus was just teasing, it would be in poor taste. Jesus is still finding his feet as a Jewish Rabbi. He says “I was sent only to the Lost sheep of the house of Israel.” The woman is inviting Jesus to step outside the box. He is the Messiah for all people, first for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. This is a turning point for him. Jesus realises that his mission transcends the limits of Israel? Both shine in the encounter.

Jesus rises to the challenge, “Let it be done as you wish,” -

The woman shines, “Great is your faith.”

In this week’s Tablet, Robert Mickens reposts “the Pope said that he has become more lenient over the years – at least on the question of baptising and giving First Communion to children whose parents are non-practising Catholics.”

From the Pope down to the lowliest priest and deacon who preaches, we have to realise that we are not protectors or hoarders of God’s Grace, but rather dispensers. The floodgates should be open. We should not put barriers for people to climb or red tape that ties up believers in knots. How often we have gone home disappointed at the words.

- your child will not be baptised unless you practise your faith.

- you cannot get married unless you are at Mass every Sunday

- you cannot be confirmed unless you know your catechism.

This does not means laws, regulations are to be abandoned. Even Jesus said “Do not think I have come to abandon the law. Not the smallest detail of the law will be done away with.” Matt 5:17. However, after he said that Jesus will eat with tax collectors and sinners, he will mix with the lame, the blind, the deaf and dumb. He will touch lepers. In the word he is living and dealing with those “outside the law.” because they NEED him.

That should be a good enough example for us to open the floodgates of the graces of Baptism and Confirmation, Marriage and especially the Eucharist to those who badly need it - precisely the ones who come once in a while. Should food be given to those who eat three times a day - or to those who can barely manage a meal once a week?

Needless to say, those who practise their faith, come regularly for Mass, take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation will say, What about us? Are we wasting our time? Again, we go to Jesus who left the 99 and went in search of the lost. For those of you who come and practise your faith on a daily basis, I have two thoughts to share:

1. You will always be faithful and precious to the Lord. Whether you get good or bad priests, brilliant or boring preachers of the Word, whether you get top of the line liturgies or not, nothing will separate you from your relationship with God.

2. You are not called to sit back and say: What about us? You have been given the grace to the faithful, so that you can be the light of Christ to the lost sheep who is wandering away. By your unity as Catholics, by your caring and concern - those who have wandered will want to come back. God bless you all.