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The Gospel Proclamation
From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go, the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Gaze at Jesus’ Sonship
Prayer to Jesus is answered by Him already during His ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of His death and resurrection. Jesus hears the prayer of faith expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with haemorrhage who touches His clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman). The urgent request of the blind men, “Have mercy on us, Son of David” or “Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me” has been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!” Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith. “Your faith has done you well; go in peace.” St. Augustine wonderfully summarizes the three dimensions of Jesus’ prayer. “He prays for us as our Priest, prays in us as our Head and is prayed to by us as our God. Therefore let us acknowledge our voice in Him and His in us.” (C.C.C. 2616)
Gaze at my sonship
How much does God love His people? It seems as if Jesus with His outstretched hands on the Cross said, “I love you this much.” What is our response to His unconditional love? Do we give back to our neighbour the love we receive from God or keep it to ourselves? We ought to experience His love and share it with others, be bearers of His love and word. St. John the Evangelist told his disciples “Love and you will be saved.:” So let us ask our friend and teacher, the Holy Spirit, who indwells us, to show and guide us in the correct path of love.
Prayer Starter
Heart of Jesus, inflame my heart with love for Thee and my neighbour.
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