Genesis 45:1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11:1-2a,29-32; Matthew 15: 10-28
Jesus answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
Last week, a young man died after suffering three years of abuse, of humiliation, of harassment. On the news, the chief nurse of the Royal College of Nursing spoke directly to those in power whose words gave permission for patients to use racist and derogatory language to her nurses and other medical staff. Across the world politicians, especially female politicians face abuse, name-calling, threats because they dare to be female politicians and speak out about oppression, speak for the underdog. In the 1990’s neighbours were turned against neighbour, friend against friend, by the use of language, no the abuse of language: cockroaches, vermin, rats, swarms, infesting. And this language can be heard by high-profile and ordinary people today to describe fellow human beings. And Jesus said: “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” The words spoken in hate, in prejudice, these defile the speaker, the one spoken about and, I would say, the world around them. With every such word spoken the world becomes darker, becomes more dangerous, for us all.
Jesus answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ These words of Jesus are jarring, they sound so unlike Jesus, so contradictory to his compassion and concern for the oppressed and suffering. So what is happening here? Why is Jesus referring to a different tribe of fellow human beings as dogs? It sounds so strange to us, that the incarnate God of love turns to this distressed parent, this distraught mother, and calls her, her daughter, her people dogs. Well, I would say we need to look at what has just gone on before, the words he spoke to the pharisees, to the disciples in the first part of our gospel reading. Words which warned about the power of words. Warning them that how we speak about and to others reflects our beliefs, what is in our hearts. That the words we use about others, if they are intended to hurt, to demean, to judge or dehumanise our fellow human beings, these words can and do defile us, defile those around us, defile our surroundings, our society. “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions…. These are what defile a person.” I think that in this exchange, this conversation with the woman – the woman the disciples have tried to turn away, to get Jesus to “send away” because she is shouting her prayers at them – in his conversation with her, Jesus is putting his previous words into context, into action.
I think he is saying to his disciples: listen to yourselves! You who are called by God, by me, listen to how you speak of this woman, of her people. Do you speak of them in love? Do you see them as equal to you in God’s eyes? Because to God, all are made in God’s image and likeness, all are part of God’s wonderful creation. And Jesus, through the deft and intelligent response of this rejected woman, shows them true faith: she speaks because she believes that her hope, her trust, her faith in Jesus will be fulfilled, she will be heard, even though those standing around her would class her unworthy of such a hearing because of who and what she is: a Canaanite, and, possibly even worse in their eyes, a woman. “Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” Jesus not only acknowledges her, but values her, and responds with love, instantly.
In his response and actions, Jesus challenges the ingrained attitudes of the disciples, but he also challenges our attitudes, our perspectives, our prejudices. On the cross Jesus reaches out his arms in love not just to one type of person, one colour, one nation, but to all people: “for us (all) and for our salvation he came down from heaven and was made man.” And if Christ is Christ to all people, if all people are children of God, then who are we to call those whom God called good, no, very good, dogs or cockroaches or any other demeaning, dehumanising insult? Who are we to view any other human being as lesser, as not as human, as worthy, as valuable in God’s eyes, and in our eyes? Who are we to defile ourselves and the world with language that hurts, that creates fear, that demoralises and demeans the children of God?
If we believe that all humanity is part of God’s family, loved and wanted by God, deliberately sought and brought home through the life, ministry and sacrifice of Jesus, then we must have hearts that reflect that love of God, that puts in our mouths words that unite us as the family of Christ, that sees each and every human being as our sister, our brother in God’s family. And if we see each human as our sister or brother then we must act on this, treating them as such, loving them as God loves us, as God loves all the children, loving them as sister, brother, family. Because we are one family, children of the same heavenly Father, inheritors together of the kingdom of God.
And if we believe this in our hearts we must show it in our lives and speak words, echoed in our actions, which build a world where words enhance and encourage the other, build up those who are struggling, those who are made to feel unworthy by others, those who feel lost or lowly or worthless. Our words should be words of welcome from the heart, of love deep in our hearts, breaking down the barriers and challenging the words of hate that seek to defile us and God creation. Because this is what God asks of us, what Jesus came down to inspire in us, what we are called to do and be: one big family, the family of God, one in the Spirit and one in the Lord, and we pray and work together for the time when that unity will one day be restored, knowing that we are known as Christians by our love, by our love: the love spoken, shown, revealed, through the words we say and inspired deep in our hearts. Then maybe all of us will hear Christ commend us for our “Great Faith” for our words of hope and grace from hearts filled with God’s love. And then maybe the kingdom will be brought closer as prejudice, hate and division are replaced by understanding, respect, love and unity guided by God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because, as we heard in the psalm for today: Behold how good and pleasant it is to dwell together in unity. Amen.
Revd Jackie