After two weeks back from vacation, one spent at St. Michael’s Conference, and one spent in the best VBS in the Anglican Communion, I have to admit that relative calm of a July vacation is but a distant memory. And that’s fine. I began to miss the pace of life of a priest associate for youth ministry and I definitely missed being here on Sundays. In large part, I think that has a lot to do with the overall health of our community; a quality that was certainly on display this past week at VBS.
We had over 160 kids and well over a hundred volunteers come to a different kind of VBS: one that inspired our youngest parishioners and friends to think outside of themselves and send their gifts and prayers towards the needy in Sarasota. Through music and song, through prayer and teaching, and through the example of teachers, shepherds, aides and every one in between, the kids who attended VBS were welcomed into a vibrant life of faith that could not be pinned down even to the comfortable pews at Redeemer.
Which, incidentally, is similarly in the background of our Gospel reading today. Put shortly, this reading from Matthew is all about a faith that goes beyond what was expected, and a message that is meant for all nations.
Before we tie this all together, let me ask a question: What does the word “Catholic” mean to you? Have you ever actually investigated the actual meaning of the term? You’d be forgiven for thinking that it refers to a certain way of doing church, or a certain group of prayers or liturgical sensibilities, or maybe fellows who have funny hats and ride in bulletproof cars. In some ways those are all characteristics of what we call Catholicism. But the word “Catholic” simply means “universal.” And when we say that Jesus’ teaching is truly Catholic, we are saying that it is for everyone, or again as the Bible often puts it, for all nations.
In our reading from Matthew, Jesus’ ministry to the Canaanite woman probably came as a surprise. You see, by Jesus’ own admission right there in the text, he tells the woman that his ministry was “only to the lost sheep of Israel,” or put another way, only to the particular people group that had a longstanding religious and legal agreement with the One God also known as YahWeh. Canaanites, a group to which the women belonged, were, strictly speaking not that.
So this lady, comes up to Jesus and tells him that “her child is severely possessed (or perhaps tormented) by a demon.” Now, as an aside, I get that kind of a lot when kids hit 13 or so. It’s nice when my experience lines up with that of Jesus. At first, Jesus appears to rebuff her, and the disciples are just annoyed with her. When Jesus pulls the lost sheep of Israel card, the woman not only kneels, before Jesus, but undeterred continues her petition: “Lord help me.”
Jesus responds, I imagine with a wry smile: “It’s not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
The woman responds by playing with the metaphor: “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” What an amazing insight: that even the “crumbs” that spill off from Jesus’ supposed table would be enough to heal her daughter. Jesus recognizes this for what it is: faith. And her faith is answered not because she is an Israelite but because of who she thinks he is. Indeed, this is a portent of Jesus’ ministry and message being truly universal, truly catholic as it transcends traditional boundaries of race and nationality. Jesus’ message is for everyone. Responses vary, but the invitation is the same. By knowing who Jesus is, prayers are answered, lives are changed in the Spirit, and God delights in the growth of his Son’s Kingdom.
Which is why VBS is so great. With our VBS, we are saying unequivocally that Jesus’ message is not only for everyone, but it is even for children. Children, who can’t tie their shoes, let alone articulate the classical nicene formula for the triunity of the Godhead. And yet, Jesus wants to know them because for some reason, children can instinctually know the same thing as the Canaanite woman: Jesus wants to be known and in knowing him amazing things can happen.
So in closing, I want to thank the parish as the youth director for your prayers and support over the past week. I pray that in seeing God at work in the hearts of our youngest, your faith is moved to action in prayer and in acts of mercy. And remember that in knowing Jesus shall your soul shall be healed.
As always, keep each other in your prayers. Amen.