Gospel, Matthew 15:21-28 Tyre and Sidon were cities on the Mediterranean coast north of Galilee and south of present-day Beirut, Lebanon. King Hiram of Tyre had contracted with Solomon to provide both cedars and craftsmen for the building the temple in Jerusalem. The territory of Tyre and Sidon extended inland to the very northern section of the Jordan River about 25 miles north of Jesus’ mission headquarters at Capernaum. It was about two-thirds of the distance on the route to Caesarea Philippi to which, as next Sunday’s gospel recounts, Jesus is traveling on a time of retreat with his apostles. Having heard about Jesus’ ministry, it is probable that the woman came from the Jordan region of Tyre rather than the Mediterranean coast. Modern history indicated all too well the animosities which exist among people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds in that part of the world. It was no different in Jesus’ time. Jews and Canaanites didn’t get along any better than Jews and Samaritans. “Dogs!” they would call them. Jesus makes reference to the derogatory term in his dealings with the woman. Here we must use go beyond the mere written word to imagine the way in which Jesus spoke the word. The woman must have sensed from Jesus’ tone that he was not putting her down but inviting her to a bit of verbal sparring. She understood and gave Jesus a great comeback statement. Jesus, who in other conversations quoted in the New Testament enjoyed such verbal interaction, applauded the woman’s persistence, wit and faith by healing her daughter.
Reading 1, Isaiah 56:1,6-7 Chapters 56 through 66 of Isaiah are generally believed to have been composed by disciples who inherited the spirit and continued the word of Isaiah in the post-Babylonian exile period two centuries after the death of the prophet. With the downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. and the southern kingdom of Judah in 587 B.C., most Jews were either taken captive to the conquering countries or escaped to communities throughout the Mediterranean world. In this dispersion Jewish people came into contact with non-Jews, some of whom developed an interest in and a desire to join the Jewish faith. Integration of foreigners into the Jewish community took place on various levels. Those called “proselytes” accepted the whole of Judaism with initiation including circumcision, a bath of ritual purification, and the offering of sacrifices. Others called “God-fearing” accepted the Jewish moral doctrine and commandments but not the full initiation including circumcision. The God-fearing far outnumbered the proselytes. Although not fully initiated, they could attend the synagogue services. They became particularly numerous in the Greek world. During his missionary journeys, St. Paul went first to the synagogues in each city. It is likely that many of his initial converts came from the ranks of the God-fearing.
Reading II, Romans 11:13-15,29-32 Did Christians have to follow the dictates and practices of the Jewish faith? Such was one of the most important questions facing the early Church. It was a particularly significant issue for Paul as he brought the Christian message to new territories on his missionary journeys. Paul brought the question to Church leaders at the Council of Jerusalem around 49or 50 A.D. after returning from his first journey. The decision of the council was that converts to Christ should not eat meat sacrificed to idols and should not marry close relatives. Circumcision and observance of the Mosaic law were not required. This opened the door to the Gentiles, the word used for all people who were not of the Jewish race. Paul, Jewish by birth, focused his ministry on the Gentiles.
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