Division: Spend 5 with Jesus: February 9, 2023

Readings for Today One thing that is part of our world is that there is division. Things are not always peaceful and harmonious. Sometimes this can mean that even the simplest things can become so misinterpreted or misunderstood that there becomes a deep area of division among us. At first glance, today's gospel can seem like that. Like so many others in the readings, the woman asks for a miracle from Jesus. The response that Jesus provides can seem that he is unkind or maybe even mean. Food to the dogs? But the truth here serves as a reminder of the primacy of faith. Jesus is not some carnival clown who does circus tricks for money. Almost always, the miracle, and whether it is given is predicated on the faith shown by the one who asks. When the woman has an answer about how it is she fits in the with the chosen people, for Jesus it is a sign of her faith. She believes in Jesus, and rather than a sign or an action of division, the action of Jesus leads her into deeper trust not only that he can perform this miracle, but more that he will. The woman who is seeking this miracle from Jesus knows she has nowhere else to turn. It is only Jesus who can heal the brokenness of the woman's daughter. In our own lives, we can find that unexpected answer we receive from Jesus to our prayers to be startling. We can even think of it as a division between Jesus and us. But like the woman in today's gospel, we are called to have faith. When the answer of Jesus to our prayer is not what we expect, we must see the response for what it is: a greater call to increase faith. On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.