Judaism has always been and still is an ethnic
religion, that is, the religion of a specific people. However, little by little
the idea began to spread that all peoples were called to salvation through
Israel. We have an example of this new mindset in the first reading. It is a
selection from the third part of the book of the prophet Isaiah. Scholars say
that the oracles collected here date back to the sixth century before Christ,
that is, after the return of the Jews from exile. “I will bring [foreigners] to
my holy mountain … my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
And yet this idea of universal salvation never
became popular among the Jews. Still in Jesus’ time, most of people were
convinced that salvation was only for them, and wanted to keep their distance
from pagans. Jesus himself was not immune to this mentality. As we can see in
today’s gospel, he believed that he had been sent only to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel. Even when he commissioned the twelve apostles, he said to
them: “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 10:5-6).
Unlike Jesus is usually presented—kind, sweet,
friendly, amiable, pleasant, welcoming toward everybody—sometimes he was able
to be rude, as in our case. He first ignored the Canaanite woman: he “did not
say a word in answer to her.” Then he became abusive: “It is not right to take
the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” How is it possible? This is
not the Jesus we are familiar with. Admittedly, this was the common way the
Jews acted with foreigners; and Jesus was a Jew, like others, sharing in their
mindset and behavior. For them, pagans were “dogs,” animals considered impure,
like pigs. One day, Jesus gave his disciples this instruction: “Do not give
what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before swine” (Mt 7:6).
Moreover, we have to say that God reveals his plans
gradually. There is no doubt that God “desires all men to be saved” (1Tim 2:4):
this is his “mystery hidden from ages and from generations past” (Col 1:26).
This mystery was manifested little by little through the old testament first,
and then through the new testament. This plan was carried out only with the
apostles, after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension. The apostles
themselves had difficulty in accepting this extension of salvation to all
peoples. It took the intervention of the Holy Spirit to change the apostles’
mind. The Fathers of the Church called this pedagogy of God “condescension,”
that is, adaptation to our weak human nature.
But we see even in the gospel the first signals
of a new mentality. In a sense, Jesus was forced to change his attitude towards
pagans by this wonderful woman. Jesus had his principles; but he was able to
adapt himself to suit different situations. Jesus seemed so firm in his
refusal, but he did not know how to resist the great faith of the Canaanite
woman. Why was her faith so great? First, she addressed Jesus as “Lord” and
“Son of David.” She was certainly a pagan, but she called Jesus with the same
titles we use. Then she did Jesus homage, literally, knelt, prostrated herself
before him as a mark of adoration. Finally, the woman showed her true faith
when she did not contradict Jesus, who had said: “It is not right to take the
food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Not only didn’t she take
offence at those words, but she accepted that designation. She just reminded
Jesus that even the dogs eat the scraps (et catelli edunt de micis) falling from the table of their
masters. She did not claim rights; she did not demand a special intervention of
Jesus; she was just content with the scraps that usually are not refused even
to the dogs. In front of this humble faith, Jesus cannot say no.
Salvation is for all; but it is not low-cost.
It is not true that everybody will be saved. There is a condition—faith. Only
those who have a faith like that of the Canaanite woman can hope for salvation.
Q
