Light of the Nations

Br Reginald reflects on Jesus’ encounter with the Syro-Phoenecian woman and the conversion of all nations through the faithfulness God shows to His chosen people Israel.

Reading: Mark 7:24-30

The following homily was preached to the student brothers during Compline. You can listen here or read below:

I think the story that we’ve just heard from the gospel is one which makes the greatest amount of sense when we take it in the context of the whole of Salvation history, in particular in its culmination in Christ’s cross and Resurrection.

We read in Isaiah that God’s faithfulness to his chosen people Israel, in rescuing them will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. We hear that it’s not enough that the tribes of Israel be saved but that Israel should become a light to the nations. The promises which were made to Abraham, to Moses, to David, these promises that were made to this elected people of Israel are fulfilled in a surprising way in Christ. So with that in mind we have to look into this Gospel.

It’s important that the gospel begins with Jesus actively going into Gentile territory. He’s going into Tyre and Sidon. In a sense we can see this as God beginning to enter into the land of the Gentiles, he’s taking salvation towards them, but for now in a way which is still hidden.

When we think of this analogy of dogs, we can perhaps see it, as the Gospel sees it, as those people who were not yet elevated to sit at the table of the Lord. But while the people of Israel by election were called to sit at the table of the Lord, they were taught the laws of God, they were still unable to sit at the table of the Lord because they continued to sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Rather what we see in this woman is the beginnings of the fruit of grace, wisdom and faith. What Jesus is trying to get at is not that she is unworthy because of her birth, but rather that it’s through the faithfulness of God that’s revealed in the history of the people of Israel, that all people will come. And it’s through this faithfulness within the story of the people of Israel that righteousness and praise will spring up before all peoples.

Indeed, if we want to come to The God Who Is Who He Is, we have to come through the God who is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

And so, this woman becomes for us a model in humility. She was not a daughter of Abraham because she was not born into the house of Israel. But she is a daughter of Abraham in the faith that she displays.

So it is for us, no one comes to the wedding supper of the Lamb because they were born into a certain people. Rather we are adopted by grace and faith and we reach glory through our perseverance in this faith. We are called to eat as children, at the great supper of the Lamb. Indeed, Christ has become Himself the light to the nations.

When the Holy One of Israel is lifted up on the cross, blood and water flow out from his side, and in fact all of us are healed of our defilements. In Christ lifted up as light to the nations, all nations are drawn in. Righteousness and praise spring up to make each of us children of God and children of Abraham too.

Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word at my soul shall be healed.

Amen

Image: Pavias Andreas – The Crucifixion (15th c.)