LORD HELP ME
"O God, Who
have prepared for those who love You good things which no eye can see, fill our
hearts, we pray, with the warmth of Your love..."
I
like to read short stories from time to time and use them in my homilies. I
read this one recently and thought it was fitting for this weekend's message:
Maddy
was blind since birth. Yet here she was in college, doing well in all her
studies. She could find her way anywhere on campus unaided, except when she was
in a hurry. At those times, one of the girls would help her. One night the
electricity went off. The dormitory was pitch dark. The girls were groping
their way, stumbling and bumping along the hallways, but Maddy was in her
element. As a result of living in perpetual darkness she was able to lead the
girls safely and surely wherever they wanted to go. Maddy really came to know
that she can help even with her handicap.
Today's
Gospel tells of another woman who was handicapped and came to know that she
could help when she met Jesus. The Canaanite woman had a spiritual handicap,
that of not being a Jew. She belonged to a nation that was not only pagan, but
also a long-time enemy of the Chosen People of God. Yet, here she is crying out
to Jesus to save her daughter who is possessed by a devil.
As
a pagan, this Canaanite mother knows little or nothing of the One, True God.
Evidently, however, she had heard of Jesus' miracles. She cries out, "Have
pity on me, Lord, Son of David" (Mt 15:22). "Lord" here does not
mean "God," it means more like the word "Sir", as we use
it. In a word, this mother does not believe that Jesus is God, but that He is
some unusual person with unusual powers. The disciples want to send her away
and even Jesus put her off. But this clever and persistent mother would not
give up. She cries out, "Lord, help me." She even argues that she
will be satisfied with crumbs if she cannot receive a whole piece of bread.
Jesus praises her faith and cures her daughter instantly.
Every
one of us knows people, whether they are a family member, a neighbor or a
co-worker, who apparently pay little or no attention to God in their lives.
They are not necessarily bad people doing bad things. In fact, they may even
have outstanding natural virtues, like honesty and kindness. But they are
strangers to Jesus. We can do many things for them! For example, frequently and
sincerely ask Jesus to draw them to Himself, request that a Mass be offered for
them and talk to Jesus about them at the Eucharist. Go a step further and show
them an article of interest in your Catholic paper or magazine, invite them to
come with you to Mass and to any celebration of one of the Sacraments - like
Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and so on.
Above
all, show that Jesus means a lot to you. Jesus loves each and every person; He
shed His Blood "for all people." In the words of today's Collect,
"O God, Who have prepared for those who love You good things which no eye
can see, fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of Your love..." Let us
not push anyone away who doesn't know Our Lord. Bring him or her to Jesus Christ.
Listen to their cry, "Lord, help me!"