August 18, 2002

Father Owen's Homilies

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 18, 2002

When I looked at the Gospel passage for this Sunday I sort of gulped. If Jesus ever needed a PR man it has often seemed to me that the time is now. Jesus comes off as an insensitive wise guy. The woman whose daughter was sick comes off as desperate, daring, and loving and sharp!

It seems to me that what we have here is a young Jesus gradually at first wanting to limit his mission. He makes that point twice. The second time he apparently uses an expression of the day to make his point. What was his point? The Good News is to be preached only to the Chosen People.

On the other hand we have a woman with a sick daughter and so highly motivated in her desperation. She is very sharp in that she chooses to duel verbally with the Son of God. Furthermore she has the courage as a non-Jew to address a Jewish teacher. She broke through social boundaries. She also apparently caused Jesus to rethink his mission and later, after the Resurrection, to expand it.

Do we have the courage? Are we desperate enough? Are we highly motivated? Are we willing to break through the boundaries and obstacles that face us to bring about a cure for our personal sickness and for the sickness of our society?

Are we willing to break through self-imposed or other imposed social boundaries to face our personal addictions? To make an apology To pay a debt? To offer help? To accept another person? To work for justice in the market place? To work for and support Respect Life Causes? Are we willing to give and take in support of our Catholic Christian convictions?

Would that we had the courage of that woman to face the really desperate face of our world.