18TH WEDNESDAY HOMILY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: BEGGING FOR CRUMBS FROM GOD’S TABLE
BY: Fr. Obinna Ezeaputa
Jeremiah 31:1-7, Jeremiah 31:10-12,13, Matthew 15:21-28
In today’s gospel (Matthew 15:21–28), we hear the story of a Canaanite woman who approaches Jesus, begging for healing for her daughter. At first, Jesus seems to ignore her, but she persists, and eventually, he grants her request.
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But why did Jesus ignore her at first? Some might say it’s because she was a Canaanite, an outsider, not one of the chosen people. But Jesus’ mission was to save all people, not just the Jews. So, why the initial rejection?
Perhaps Jesus was testing her faith, pushing her to persevere and show the depth of her trust in him. Or maybe he was teaching his disciples a lesson, showing them that God’s mercy extends beyond their narrow boundaries.
Whatever the reason, the Canaanite woman’s response is remarkable. She doesn’t take offense or give up. Instead, she kneels before Jesus, acknowledging his power and begging for crumbs from his table.
Just like the Canaanite woman, Saint Cajetan, whose memorial we celebrate today, was persistent in his prayer and trusted in God’s mercy. He saw the poverty, hunger, illness, and suffering of the people around him. He knew that he had to do something. So, he spent his life begging for “crumbs from God’s table” for the poor and the sick.
One day, while he was begging for alms in the streets of Rome to support his hospital for the sick, a wealthy merchant, known for his greed and selfishness, saw him and mocked him, saying, “What’s the point of helping these poor people? They’re just going to remain poor anyway.”
Saint Cajetan didn’t take offense or give up. Instead, he kneeled before the merchant, looked him in the eye, and said, “Sir, I’m not just begging for the poor; I’m begging for you. I’m begging that God’s mercy and love might touch your heart and transform your life.”
Saint Cajetan’s response surprised the merchant. No one had ever looked at him with such love and compassion before. Moved to tears, he eventually became one of Saint Cajetan’s most generous benefactors. This is the same dynamic we see in today’s gospel.
Saint Cajetan, like the Canaanite woman, persisted in the face of rejection and indifference. He demonstrated to the merchant, as well as to everyone around him, that God’s mercy and love extend far beyond our narrow boundaries. And in the end, his perseverance and trust in God’s mercy bore fruit, transforming the lives of the merchant and countless others.
As we reflect on today’s gospel and the life of Saint Cajetan, let us ask ourselves: Are we like the Canaanite woman and Saint Cajetan, persistent in our prayer, trusting in God’s mercy? Or are we like the disciples, limited by our own biases and boundaries?
May Saint Cajetan’s example inspire us to be persistent in our prayers, to trust in God’s mercy, and to show His love to all, especially those who may seem like outsiders or enemies. Amen.
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