Sermon for the 11th Sunday after Trinity – 20th August 2023: ISAIAH 56 1-8 MATTHEW 15: 10-28

Deacon Chris Saccali – St Paul’s Athens

by Jan Richardson.

SUMMER MUSINGS

May I speak in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is part two of summertime sermons except that somehow the first version of this sermon vanished in some mysterious way into ether and could not be retrieved so this is version two.

Another summer activity I enjoy is outdoor cinema if I can find a film on nearby which I enjoy. I have seen two this summer one mediocre and the other was unexpectedly good – I am talking about Barbie not a movie I thought I would ever watch as I grew up with Sindy doll back in the UK in the sixties but a friend tipped me off about it, saying it was a modern satire on gender, sexism and diversity and it certainly makes you think.

So taking off my rose tinted specs and donning pink, I went along. Barbie pink is more granddaughter’s thing and there were many kids who had been taken along expecting a Disney like production but the film went way over their heads. There were several layers built into it directed by the talented director Greta Gerwig.

Somewhat multilayered  is the narrative we are presented with today in our gospel reading of which I asked for the longer version to be read. This is a strange story of the Canaanite woman which is narrated in both Mark and Matthew and the more I delve into it the more intriguing it becomes.

If you put the two gospel versions side by side Mark’s is more abrupt, true to form but both versions can be read on two levels.

The first level is the main strand of the story. Both gospels put this exchange between Jesus and the foreign mother in the context of an increasingly angry and critical set of encounters with the Pharisees and scribes. They are questioning his authority and he is challenging their view of the law, and so of God. But although Jesus argues forcefully and with confidence , it is against a background of scriptural interpretation. Jesus is clear that his ministry is in line with God’s continuous great missionary enterprise in calling the people of Israel. The Pharisees are not reassured and argue back . It is an infight, however bitter and bloody. Who has the right to interpret Tradition?

But into this comes the foreign mother, the human touch, seeking healing for her mentally sick daughter and begins to skew the picture. No one has much patience with her at all. Not the disciples or even Jesus it seems and this is where we find the story puzzling to say the least.

As always context is important and the other lectionary readings that have been paired with the gospel and why.

The prophet Isaiah said, ‘Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.’ Verse 8 It would seem that it has always been the ultimate intention of God to gather up all the peoples of God’s good creation.

It is a shock therefore to read and hear the persistent conversation of the woman and Jesus, who had after all. Gone away to the area of Tyre and Sidon for peace and quiet away from the clamouring crowds. And the word dog jars. In summer I try to do extra reading in the form of fiction and articles not directly related to sermon prep. So I was shocked to read in an piece on Aasmah Mir, journalist and broadcaster who was originally from Pakistan but born and brought up in UK, that she was called a dog by fellow pupils.

 

Don’t forget that Matthew’s gospel was written primarily for Jewish readers. This section is sandwiched between the miracles of the feeding of the five thousand and the feeding of the four thousand which in itself significant.

So we smile wryly at the woman’s reference to crumbs abnd remember how many baskets of bread were left over- twelve wasn’t it. Like the twelve tribes of Israel? Numbers are always significant in the bible.

This passage then is a pivotal point in the gospel pointing to the great commissioning at the end. Jesus is in borderline territory here geographically and the Canaanites had been overthrown by the Israelites in the past. That was the setting. And yet she greets him as Son Of David acknowledging history and building up to a crescendo in Matthew who Jesus really was. Only the disciples do not seem to twig either his Messianic role or his revelation to both Jews and Gentiles.

 

We also remember humbly the phrase in the Eucharistic prayer that we are so looking forward to, ‘we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table and I am not worthy to receive you, Lord but only say the word and I shall be healed.’ Both phrases conjure up elements of this story. The all important thing to take away is that the woman’s daughter was healed. She is praised by Jesus for the faith, ‘ Great is your faith.’

But let us consider the verses that immediately precede this story and why I asked for the full version today. I promised we would consider how we speak and treat each other and the words and body language we use. We saw this in action with Jesus and the woman whether we understand the exchange or not. I am still struggling with it.

 

We also remember humbly the phrase in the Eucharistic prayer that we are so looking forward to, ‘we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table and I am not worthy to receive you, Lord but only say the word and I shall be healed.’ Both phrases conjure up elements of this story. The all important thing to take away is that the woman’s daughter was healed. She is praised by Jesus for the faith, ‘ Great is your faith.’

But let us consider the verses that immediately precede this story and why I asked for the full version today. I promised we would consider how we speak and treat each other and the words and body language we use. We saw this in action with Jesus and the woman whether we understand the exchange or not. I am still struggling with it.

We are a diverse group of Christians that make up this congregation at St Paul’s Athens and I think that is part of our richness. It is a blessing think back to when you felt truly heard. We need to learn from each other and treat one another with respect. Listening is a sacred activity and so is Conversatio Divina. Remember the words at the Transfiguration, ‘ This is my Son, listen to Him.’

In vacancy we have this opportunity to find out who we are as the Body of Christ .Take time to find out about others who we worship alongside every week, or to welcome visitors over coffee and a chat. You may be surprised but also you may find that we all have more in common than we think our faith as we accept Jesus into our lives to hold us together and heal us. AMEN