God’s Silence can sometimes be a test of faith

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for the 20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Gerard Majella Parish

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

August 14, 2011

In the later years of his life, after so many years of theological study and teaching, Pope Benedict XVI published a book titled Jesus of Nazareth. In the book the Holy Father asked the question, “What did Jesus bring to the world?” Jesus, he said did not just bring peace to the world. He did not just bring prosperity. Jesus brought God to the world. He told us about God whom he calls “Abba Father.” So, looking upon Jesus is looking upon God in human form. That’s why Jesus says in John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

The one, true God, the Lord who revealed himself to Abraham and Moses, who chose Israel as his special people, now, comes to us in Jesus of Nazareth. He first came to the Jewish people. In today’s Gospel, he says to the Canaanite woman, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Yet in this encounter, Jesus enlarged his mission. In this encounter with the Canaanite woman, the Lord demonstrates that his mission is to be extended beyond Israel.

Today’s gospel says that Jesus makes a deliberate withdrawal from the pressures of confrontation in Galilee. He deliberately withdraws from the noisy and ever busy city of Galilee and seeks peace and quiet in the border region of Tyre and Sidon. The Lord’s popularity has spread so wide. Everywhere he goes, the crowds followed him. There was no place in Palestine where he could be sure of privacy. Wherever he goes, the crowds would find him. So, he went to Tyre and Sidon where the Phoenicians lived. At least over there, he would be free from the crowds who were not giving him any breathing space, and also be safe from the hateful hostility of the Scribes and Pharisees. At least no Jew is likely going to follow him to Tyre and Sidon and no Jew is likely going to be there anyway. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile regions.

Now, even in these foreign Gentile lands, Jesus could not escape the common plea and demand of human need. Human suffering does not discriminate. It affects every human person and every human race. In Tyre and Sidon, a woman whose daughter was being tormented by a demon approached him with a cry, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” This woman was not a Jew. But she must have heard of the wonderful things that Jesus had done. Desperately, she cried for help on behalf of her daughter. At first, Jesus paid no attention. At first, the Lord was silent. Then, his disciples said to him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” Mark the comment of the disciples, “She keeps calling out after us.”

Even the silence of Jesus did not discourage this woman. The silence of the Lord did not get on her nerves. The silence of Jesus did not make her stop calling out after them. She keeps calling Jesus. She refused to turn back. The words of Jesus, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” did not turn her back. She persisted with her cry, “Lord, help me.” Even when Jesus said to her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” the woman was not upset. Instead she replied Jesus respectfully, “Please, Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Sisters and brothers, this Canaanite woman teaches us the virtue of persistence in prayer. Because of her faith in Jesus, because of her persistence, because of her expectant faith and knowledge, her prayer was answered. Looking at her, Jesus says, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Her faith saved her daughter. Her refusal to give up to the silence of Jesus eventually brought healing to her daughter. Her virtue of persistence in prayer brought her daughter back to life. Her practice of PUSH- ‘Pray Until Something Happens” saved her daughter.

The Canaanite woman stands for all mothers. Like most mothers, she loved her daughter. She made the misery of her daughter her own. She personalized her daughter’s misfortune. You may call this woman a pagan or a heathen. But she has an undying love for her daughter which is a reflection of God’s love for his children. It was love which made her approach a stranger; it was love which made her accept his silence; it was love which made her accept belittlement; it was love and compassion which made her swallow the harsh words she received from Jesus and his disciples. It was love that drove her to Jesus.

If you are asking God to help you solve a problem, but all you are getting is silence, keep praying for the desire of your heart. God’s silence may be a test of your faith. Keep praying. Do not stop. Like the Canaanite woman, continue to follow the Lord; continue to call him and make your request. God’s silence is not necessarily a refusal of God to heed. God silence to our request can be a test of your faith which can lead to increase in faith. Look at the Canaanite woman. She started by following Jesus, then called him Son of David. Son of David was a popular title, a political title. It was a title which saw Jesus as an earthly powerful wonder worker. But that title did not get her the attention of Jesus. Then she called Jesus “Lord.” She also came to him and paid him homage which is a sign of surrender and worship. She also accepted humiliation and then ended with prayer. She had indomitable and unconquerable persistence. In the end, her prayer was answered. Keep on praying! Ephesians 6:18 says Keep on praying. Apply PUSH! Pray until something happens.

Sometimes the silence of God to our prayer may not necessarily be a refusal. It could be a test of your faith. Continue to disturb heavens with your request. God’s silence is not a bad thing, for it can provide us with an opportunity of growing in faith. God’s silence provides the opportunity to learn to pray. God’s silence affords us the opportunity to develop reliance on him. But our persistence in prayer can break God’s silence.