Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023

Title

Mercy Triumphs over Chronology

Outline

What do we make of that Gospel passage?

A Gentile woman cries out for help for her daughter using “Son of David”

Jesus at first does not answer her and then only says to the disciples, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” When the woman approaches he says to her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”

Only when she makes a humble statement, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters,” does Jesus reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”

First, it is clear that God is open to Gentiles coming to faith

Our Isaiah reading concludes with, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

Paul is also clear that God’s plan included the Gentiles

In fact, the calling of Israel, the “walls” around them to keep them holy, was so that they become a “light to the nations”

Second, Jesus makes it clear that there was an order

In Matthew in particular he sends the Twelve only to Jews, excluding areas inhabited by Samaritans and Gentiles. Here again he notes his mission to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” It is Matthew chapter 28 that the resurrected Jesus says, “As you go into all the world make disciples of every nation.” Here we see Paul’s order reflected: Jews first, then, when the Jews rejected the message, Gentiles, with the caveat that the purpose of this order was to “make the Jews jealous” and so in the end bring Israel to repentance “when the fullness of the Gentiles” has arrived.

In other words, the Jews fail to fulfill their function of being a light to the Gentiles and when their Messiah comes they reject him in part because he crosses ethnic boundaries. Yet even the mission to the Jews in the Gospels is to make them a light to the gentiles. Pentecost is the starter’s pistol for this world-wide mission.

Yet there are always exceptions: the centurion whose daughter is raised, the Magi in Matthew, and so on.

Third, Jesus requires trust in him, not just calling upon his Jewish title

Son of David is the titular ruler of the Jews, not the Lord of heaven and earth. It does not tell if she had faith in him as more than a ruler of Jews.

Jesus’s “taking children’s food and throwing it to the dogs” may refer to Herod’s extracting foodstuffs from his country to purchase the building and luxury items available through Tyre and Sidon.

Her response is to address him as “Lord” which is appropriate for a ruler of Gentile lands as well as for God himself. Then she makes clear that she is asking for mercy and grace, not for something she is entitled to.

That faith is what Jesus responds to - you realize that I am in some sense universal and you are not claiming a right (such as Israelites would have with respect to their king) but a scrap, mercy, grace.

Sisters, this passage functions to underline the grace of God

First, it does it for Jewish readings of the gospel, those who would know about Pentecost when universal grace was announced.

Second, it does it for us, who may inwardly assume that God’s gifts are really for good Catholics (and have not read Lumen Gentium). God’s gifts and graces and found in many ecclesial communities and individuals where we often think they “should not” be.

Third, it reminds us that the calling of Jews first was intended to be evangelistic from the start as is our calling. The Church exists for evangelism, schools exist for evangelism, all we do is related to evangelism, making full sanctified followers of Jesus who are a light to all around and who live that light humbly, knowing that none of us are entitled to it.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 8-20-2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Isaiah 56:1, 6–7

CHAPTER 56

1 Thus says the LORD:

Observe what is right, do what is just,

for my salvation is about to come,

my justice, about to be revealed.

6 And foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,

to minister to him,

To love the name of the LORD,

to become his servants—

All who keep the sabbath without profaning it

and hold fast to my covenant,

7 Them I will bring to my holy mountain

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be acceptable on my altar,

For my house shall be called

a house of prayer for all peoples.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-20-2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 67:4

4 May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you!

PSALM

Psalm 67:2–3, 5–6, 8

2 May God be gracious to us and bless us;

may his face shine upon us.

Selah

3 So shall your way be known upon the earth,

your victory among all the nations.

5 May the nations be glad and rejoice;

for you judge the peoples with fairness,

you guide the nations upon the earth.

Selah

6 May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you!

8 May God bless us still;

that the ends of the earth may revere him.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-20-2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

Romans 11:13–15, 29–32

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry 14 in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

30 Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may [now] receive mercy. 32 For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-20-2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 4:23

23 He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

GOSPEL

Matthew 15:21–28

21 Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” 24 He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” 28 Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 8-20-2023: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Isaiah 56:1, 6–7

Response Psalm 67:4

Psalm Psalm 67:2–3, 5–6, 8

Second Reading Romans 11:13–15, 29–32

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 4:23

Gospel Matthew 15:21–28

GREEN