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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  The Lord teaches us to expand our vision

by Fr. Richard C. Macey special to The Michigan Catholic
Published August 8, 2008

Readings for August 17 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Aug. 17) Isaiah 56:1,6-7 Romans 11:13-15,29-32 Matthew 15:21-28

First Reading: Isaiah 56:1,6-7

This is the beginning of a new section of the Book of Isaiah. Some scholars call chapters 56 through 66 "Trito-Isaiah," meaning "third Isaiah." It has a more universalist tone and celebrates the return from exile in Babylon.

The passage begins with a call to "observe" and to "do." It refers to terms which include a social consciousness and responsibility: "what is right. . .what is just." Ethics, correct action, is an important part of religious profession. Here, the warning of a future judgment is a call to reform. It promises a time of judgment, the end of the ages. The final plan of God is to be revealed.

The Bible is a developing history and shows the unfolding of God's plan of salvation which extends to all people. The people who were forbidden participation in the worship of God in Dt 23:1-8, eunuchs and foreigners, are invited to "hold (fast) to my covenant" (56:4,6). Castration (for eunuchs) was not practiced in Israel, so it would be another category of people who were called foreigners. The term for "foreigner" is not the resident alien among the people, but someone more removed from the Israelite. Yet they may also assume the function of a priest with "burnt offerings and sacrifices," a office which is explicitly mentioned at the end of this last section of Isaiah (66:21).

The Temple, "my house," will become "a house of prayer for all peoples." This last term includes everyone under the same term, "peoples." Previously, another term was used, "the nations," to distinguish foreigners from "the people," the Israelites.

Sabbath observance, rather than circumcision, and the ritual offerings have become the mark of those "who join themselves to the Lord." Sabbath observance had the most to be said about it in the commandments which were received by Moses on Sinai. Also, the central book of the Torah, the Book of Leviticus, records the ritual offerings and sacrifices of the people. This may reflect the influence of the priesthood in the reconstruction of the nation after the return from exile in Babylon.

In my first assignment, we had some refugees from Vietnam who came to our parish school in mid-year. They were obviously not raised in the neighborhood! One young man in the eighth grade always came to school with dark pants and a long-sleeved white shirt – ironed, of course, and tucked in. He bowed to the teachers when they addressed him, and he was always very courteous in his speech. The other students, who usually made fun of anyone who appeared to be cosying-up to the teacher, respected their fellow student. Although he was extremely bright and achieved very good grades, he never acted as though he were better than they were. It was my first experience with a very different national identity, a person from another part of the world. It was a good lesson for me, too. We can learn something good from those who are very different from us.

Second Reading: Romans 11:13-15,29-32

Paul clearly states in this passage to the Romans that he is "the apostle to the Gentiles." In the preceding chapters, Paul addressed the Jews in the third person. Here, he addresses the Gentiles in the second person, thus intensifying his address to them. He tells them that Jews and Gentiles have each been disobedient, but that their disobedience has brought about a demonstration of God's mercy, so that all could find salvation.

The final action of God, "life from the dead," is said to come about with the "acceptance" of the Jews. They still have an important role in the salvific plan of God. "Life" takes on a greater meaning than simply the present state of existence. It includes new life from God, an eschatological transformation. The emphasis is on the initiative of God.

Paul contrasts the two ages of history: the age of disobedience and the age of mercy. Paul has already presented this contrast between Adam and Christ in Rm 2:12-21. The mercy of God was an important theme in the covenant with Israel. The final phrase of this passage has extended that mercy "upon all."

Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

There is a preference for the mission among the Jews in the four Gospel narratives, but there is also a hint of the future mission of the Church among the Gentiles. There may be an allusion to the miracle of Elijah and the woman from Zarephath in 1 Kg 17:8-24. The principal character is an unnamed foreign woman. The woman appeals on behalf of her child, who is eventually healed. There is mention of feeding. There is also some traits that recall the feeding of the five thousand in the earlier chapter (Mt 14:13-21). The disciples encouraged Jesus to send them/her away.

There is a stylistic balance in telling the story. The woman makes three verbal appeals. In the second appeal, she "did Jesus homage." She bowed down and worshiped Him. Jesus discourages her until the final appeal. Then he commends her faith and does what she asks in response to that faith.

Despite Jesus' command to His disciples in Mt 10:5-15 to avoid pagan territory and the statement that He was sent "only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," Jesus responds to the woman. He does not respond because she is a Gentile, but because of her great faith. Jesus prepared His followers for the future missionary efforts of St. Paul and the early Church. The Church would look very different without the input from those early converts from paganism.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.