Homilist suggests "God taught Jesus a lesson"

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I’m confused (well not really) . . .

This past Sunday, the pastor at my parish during his homily explained that “God was teaching Jesus a valuable lesson” [the pastor’s exact words] by requiring Jesus to interact with someone that was outside of his preferred cultural group (cf. Matthew 15:21-28). In other words, God was teaching Jesus to be inclusive.

There was a slight gasp that seemed to rise out of the entire congregation all at once as the words reached our ears – it even seemed to cause our priest a bit of pause. He stammered the same sentence again, but added “some have suggested . . .” It was clear, though, that he had not made a mistake the first time (he really was quite emphatic), and that the qualification was added as an emergency placation. He repeated the assertion one more time at the end of his homily.

I have to admit, for all the times I’ve heard various alternative “explanations” for the miracles of the loaves and fishes, I have never heard this Christology-bending (breaking?) twist given as an explanation of Our Lord’s words and actions.

Does anyone want to comment? Does anyone know if there is a “Catholic” book or other popular resource that he has drawn this from? I mean, obviously he could have thunk it up himself; but maybe it’s actually common to hear this from the pulpit and the outline for the homily is being passed around regularly . . . like the flu.

By the way, I do pray for our priests every day. In fact, as his homily unfolded I prayed the “Come Holy Spirit” prayer quietly with my eyes closed several times. 🙂
 
Well, perhaps it is the pastor who needs to be “taught a lesson!” 😉 😛 God love him…

Pastors are only human, after all…

I’m glad that your entire parish gasped - it sent red flags up to hear such a remark…

I don’t believe that the homily is the proper forum to espouse non-approved theories about Christ, but rather, it is the time and place for instruction of the Faithful in Catholic Truths…

Somewhere in the CCC it states that Jesus knew - even from the moment of His Conception - His messianic mission. He knew He was the Messiah when He was an Embryo, a Zygote, and a Fetus!!! He was known as Teacher, not “Student.” Doubtful that God needed to teach Jesus a lesson, since Jesus is God - the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity!!!

Christ knew that He had come to save God’s people, the Jews, but it was not beyond His infinite Mercy to heal a Samaritan woman who demonstrated her faith in Him. So, yes, He was inclusive, to a degree…But He didn’t have the Samaritan woman at the Last Supper! 😉

God Bless <><
 
I had the same type of Homily, (Twentieth Sunday, Cycle A) driving to inclusion. In light of the first and second reading together with the Gospel, the theme makes sense. There was no God the Father teaching Jesus the Son a lesson thread, but the priest clearly said that Jesus had a change of heart regarding his relation to Canaanites/Gentiles, or at least this woman. The Priest implied that the woman’s faith, prayers and wit saved her daughter. “Even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters”

I have thought about this a bit, Either Jesus did have a change of heart as the Gospel words imply, or this was a test for the woman and teaching device for the Apostles (and us) not to be taken literally. I don’t know. I guess I’ll contemplate and pray over the passage. I do believe that Jesus’ love is without limit. I’ll start there.

Christ’s Peace,

TJD
 
I didn’t get that kind of homily at my church this Sunday. Our priest focused not on the fact that the woman was a Canaanite, but on her faith. I feel that the reason Jesus didn’t say anything at first to her when she came up to ask for his help was to show the apostles and his disciples the amount of faith needed to follow the Lord.
:twocents:
 
We didn’t hear that type of homily either–more about Jesus wanting us to persevere in prayer and in faith. Also, and this is my own take, he knew what the Jewish beliefs were at the time, he was Jewish, and as such was “acting” as one, giving this woman a chance to display her faith (especially as not one of God’s chosen people) and show the disciples that one didn’t have to be Jewish to be loved by God, which is a good indicator of the salvation of the gentiles that would be made evident.

Penitent
 
I went to two Masses this weekend. One at the parish I belong to and one at a parish we may be consolidating with. Needless to say, I got two different homilies.

At my parish, the pastor gave one on faith, but also included not judging other by their differences with us. It was a vey good homily. He recited a poem at the end that I will post if I can find it. It made people think.

At the other parish, the pastor droned on about the consolidation and welcoming people from the other parishes and other faiths. It was OK, but seemed to be a little milktoast in presentation and almost went too far in welcoming people from other faiths (I though for sure he was going to welcome them to communion, but he did not).

PF
 
Our wonderful pastor said that Jesus didn’t answer her, and then later denied her in order to draw out her faith. In the face of complete opposition and insult she remained steadfast in her faith in Jesus. Kinda like we should do.

I was out of town last week and had a difficult time at the parish we chose to go to mass. The liturgical abuses were blatant, one being no homily :eek: but a lay missionary asking for $$$. I am so thankful for the priests in my parish/diocese!
 
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Truth_Is_Good:
I’m confused (well not really) . . .

This past Sunday, the pastor at my parish during his homily explained that “God was teaching Jesus a valuable lesson” [the pastor’s exact words] by requiring Jesus to interact with someone that was outside of his preferred cultural group (cf. Matthew 15:21-28). In other words, God was teaching Jesus to be inclusive.

There was a slight gasp that seemed to rise out of the entire congregation all at once as the words reached our ears – it even seemed to cause our priest a bit of pause. He stammered the same sentence again, but added “some have suggested . . .” It was clear, though, that he had not made a mistake the first time (he really was quite emphatic), and that the qualification was added as an emergency placation. He repeated the assertion one more time at the end of his homily.

I have to admit, for all the times I’ve heard various alternative “explanations” for the miracles of the loaves and fishes, I have never heard this Christology-bending (breaking?) twist given as an explanation of Our Lord’s words and actions.

Does anyone want to comment? Does anyone know if there is a “Catholic” book or other popular resource that he has drawn this from? I mean, obviously he could have thunk it up himself; but maybe it’s actually common to hear this from the pulpit and the outline for the homily is being passed around regularly . . . like the flu.

By the way, I do pray for our priests every day. In fact, as his homily unfolded I prayed the “Come Holy Spirit” prayer quietly with my eyes closed several times. 🙂
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What did you say to the Pastor after Mass? Surely you did speak to him? Let us know what he said. If you didn’t then no one here is qualified to tell you what to think as we simply do not know the heart of the priest at that time.

This passage is nothing more than that witnessed in all His other interactions. What we witness in this passage is a test of the womans faith.

His seemingly disinterested stance at the beginning of the encounter led to the woman calling out all the more loudly, so loudly and persistently that His disciples even urged Him to answer her and deal with her. Eventually He did and this encounter led the woman to make a wonderful profession of faith, which as we should know, is the foundation for all miracles.

Jesus would never turn away another,sure He said “I have sheep who are not of this fold…” This woman was one of them. to suggest that he wasn’t interested or turned away from her because of her ethnic state is ludicrous.
 
I heard that the Greek term for “dog” Jesus used was one that referred to a more domesticated variety as opposed to a savage, vile, scavender-like type. Therefore, he was actually prompting her to respond, “…even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
 
I cannot read the good priest’s mind, however, sometimes I speak in hyperbole thinking now that I have that person’s attention my explanation will point out clearly what I am try to get accross. Unfortunately, only to find I have really confused that person.

It seems that Scripture Scholars and Theologians who work focuses on the study of Christ (Christology) have for the last 50 years or so agree that it seems during his earthly ministry, Jesus understood his mission was to proclaim the Kingdom of God Heaven). While at times this Kingdom Jesus preached was other worldly, more often when Jesus spoke of the Kindom of God he spoke of it as God’s loving and active presence here and now and in a special unique way in his very person.

But from the Gospels, it seems Jusus understood his mission to be first and foremost to the Jewish Nation, not primarily to anyone else. Jesus was a Jew and he saw his mission of proclamation the Kingdom of God was to Jews not Gentiles.

In last Sundays Gospel then we see two dynamics in Jesus’ life, mission and I would say personality. The first, in his mission to the Jewish Nation he was totally committed and driven. So much so that he would have the exchanged with the women that he did.
Years ago, I know I was taught that Jesus was trying to bring out the womens faith, and when he spoke about dogs he was softening the blow by calling them “puppies”.

Scholars tell us he wasn’t softening the discourse at all. Remember, Matthew may have been written in Aramaic first. If so, to use the dimniutive towards (puppy) was a supreme insult towards that person. In this exchange then (which many feel could have really been ipsissma verbi - because of the stark language Jesus used and what we could say rough treatment of the lady by Jesus) we get an insight of just how driven Jesus was to deliver his message to Israel.

However, we also see that other side of Jesus. He always responded to a person of Faith no matter if they were Jew or Gentile. Consider, at times he really seemed frustrated because the gentiles were the ones responding to his proclamation, not the Jew to whom he was proclaiming the Good News.

So I don’t think it was so much God teaching Jesus a lesson, rather we get an insight into how Jesus understood himself and his mission but his openness to always respond to a person’s sincere faith.
 
Tome,

Good post, thanks. When I hear and read the Gospel I am struck by the words that are there. Jesus Ignores the Lady, then he puts her off, then he insults her, then he cures her daughter. My cultural sensitivities makes me want to find a good reason for Christ to be so insensitive and inject stuff that really is not there. I do think we can take Jesus at his word here. I don’t really like it, but it is possible that Jesus is putting the lady off because she is a Canaanite.

I thought of two other passages that make me wonder what Jesus was really doing, the Raising of Lazarus and the agony in the garden. Jesus weeps over his dead friend’s tomb. Are these tears for show? He knows what he is going to do next. Jesus begs his Father to take this cup from him. There really is no way around things, but crucifixion is tough. I could see were a guy would be perturbed and maybe even frightened a bit.

I think we find it difficult to see Jesus as fully human and fully divine. We can see him as one or the other at any given time but it is hard to understand him as both at the same time. Maybe, Jesus is reacting to the lady as a human of his culture would. Her faith rises above the fray so Jesus could not deny her. I think this speaks to the power of faith filled prayer. I think the passage is very rich if we read it as written. I thank my priest for opening this perspective, and I thank Truth_Is_Good for pushing the thought.

Christ’s Peace,

TJD
 
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