Numbers 13:2, 25-33, 14:1-2, 26-29, 34-35; Psalm 106; Matthew15:21-28
At God’s command, Moses sends spies to survey the promised land, and while it flows with milk and honey, the scouts tell of giant inhabitants. So of course, the people weep and complain! God is so angry he promises that they shall wander for 40 years and die in the desert. In the psalm, Moses again stands in the breach, as we pray the antiphon: “In your love, remember us, Lord!” In the gospel, Jesus is cruel too. A Canaanite woman begs for healing for her demon-tormented daughter and Jesus calls her a dog. She reminds him that the dogs can eat the scraps. Here Jesus praises her faith and heals the girl. In Mark’s version he says: “Woman, for saying that, I will heal your daughter.” Jesus needs his consciousness raised. Jews do not take favorably to Gentiles, and she undercuts his unconscious bigotry.
Ask the Spirit to reveal to you any unconscious prejudice. Of whom are you afraid? Whom do you disdain, even hold in contempt? Discuss what you learn from the Spirit with Jesus. He too was human and had to learn to understand and accept those who were different.
Change our complaining about world conditions into prayer and action for justice, peace, unity; for tolerance, respect, acceptance, and especially for those who are different from us.