Love and faith give us the strength never to give up. In today’s Gospel, the Canaanite woman teaches us this through her deep love for her daughter and her unwavering faith in Jesus. Despite every obstacle, she continued to plead with Him. Jesus finally said to her: “Woman, you have great faith!” May we too persevere in prayer, especially when God seems silent. Faith is not a magic wand; it is trusting Jesus even when we cannot see the answer. When faith and love go hand in hand, we learn to persevere and place everything confidently in God’s hands.
L-Imħabba u l-fidi jagħtuna qawwa biex ma naqtgħux qalbna. Fil-Vanġelu tal-lum, il-mara Kananeja tgħallimna dan b’mod qawwi. Minkejja l-ostakli, l-umiljazzjoni u s-skiet li ltaqgħet magħhom, hija baqgħet titlob lil Ġesù b’fidi u mħabba għal bintha. Fl-aħħar, Ġesù qalilha: “Mara, il-fidi tiegħek hija kbira!” Jalla aħna wkoll, fit-tiġrib u fit-talb tagħna, ma naqtgħux qalbna. Il-fidi mhix bakketta maġika, imma fiduċja sħiħa f’Ġesù, anke meta forsi ma jkollniex dak li nixtiequ eżatt. Meta l-imħabba u l-fidi jimxu flimkien, nitgħallmu nipperseveraw u nħallu kollox f’idejn il-Mulej.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 15,21-28.
At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
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."
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."
He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."
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.