HAVE MERCY ON ME…

Jeremiah 31:1-7,10-13
1 “At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.”2 Thus says the LORD: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest,3 the LORD appeared to him from afar. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with timbrels, and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
5 Again you shall plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit.
6 For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.'”
7 For thus says the LORD: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘The LORD has saved his people, the remnant of Israel.’

Matthew 15:21-28 

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.22 And 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.”
23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.”24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26 And he answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

MEDITATION

JEREMIAH Envision the far distant future when he prophecy that the scattered and seperated—non homogonous—tribes of Israel who survived the sword, shall find grace and be a joyous merrymaking unified people, because of God’s unquestionable everlasting love for them. The implication of Jeremiahs prophetic message pressupose that each human race will have the opportunity to arise, seek the face of God and cultivate a life that is joyful; fruitful and meritorious of His abundant grace. 

THE GOSPEL READING: It was customery to collect and burn leavend bread ‘chametz’ which symbolized sin and evil inclinations—that was safely placed in different parts of the house during the year. Dogs would often sniff out the leavened bread portions and eat it, which meant that it may not be possible to perform the rite of exhorcism, nevermind take part in the Passover Feast. 

It is in this context that the twelve disciples “begged” Jesus to aid the Canaanite womans daughter—exhorcise her from the demonic—failing which she will continue to pester Him such that their partaking in the Passover observance will be delayed, because the leavened bread has not been burned! This event remind us that we cannot receive the Holy Eucharist if we have not elicited the mercy of Christ in the confessional. We have to rid ourselves from ‘leaven;’ sin and evil inclinations so that we may be in a state of grace to wortherly partake in the Lamb Supper.  

LET US PRAY:Jer 31:10-13

10″Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more.
13 Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.