Wednesday 18th week in ordinary time
"Mt 15:21-28"
Behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word...But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
Sometimes it looks like Jesus is not planning to perform miracles. His first answer is not very encouraging. You remember the wedding at Cana. Our Lady came interceding for the newlyweds and Jesus didn't seem interested in doing anything, but... did Mary stop interceding and go away? No, she didn't. The mother in today's Gospel knew that Jesus could heal her daughter. Her request didn't work the first time: Jesus "did not answer her a word." Did she stop begging? No, she didn't. Was Jesus listening? He certainly was. Did she get what she wanted? Yes, she eventually did. How? By insisting! God loves our perseverance. When do we stop? We don't stop. We ask until we get; and then we give thanks without ceasing.
That's how we prove that we have faith. If you believe that Jesus can do that, you don't stop asking Him until you get it. St Monica is one of the best examples of perseverance in prayer. Like the Canaanite woman, she asked a favour for her child, who was also "severely possessed by a demon" of lust and lack of faith. Her son Augustine didn't show any sign of conversion for years. Did Monica stop? Can a mother stop interceding for her child? No. Not Our Lady, not the Canaanite lady, not St Monica... No. St Monica had spent 30 years praying for her pagan husband and knew about perseverance. Her husband died a Christian. The conversion of her child took 31 years, but he didn't just become a Christian; he became a bishop, a most prominent Christian philosopher, the apologist of his time, a great saint, a Doctor of the Church... he could have been just one more pagan philosopher if St Monica had given up after 2 years, or 20, or even 30! Mary, my Mother, don't ever allow me to give up on prayer.
