Outsiders inside the Church

Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week of Ordinary Time
August 4, 2010

Today's Saint: John Vianney
Pray for vocations in later years:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/JohnVianney.htm

Today's Readings:
Jeremiah 31:1-7
Jer 31:10-13
Matt 15:21-28
http://www.usccb.org/nab/080410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_08_04.mp3

Outsiders inside the Church

Have you ever felt like an outsider? Even in the presence of Christ?

Today's Gospel reading puts us into the sandals of a woman who was an outsider in Jesus' day. As a Canaanite, she did not qualify to be a recipient of Jesus' ministry, since he had come as Messiah for the Jews. Of course, Jesus came as Savior for the whole world, but the disciples didn't know that yet. To stretch their minds, Jesus waited for her faith to become so obvious that it would overshadow every limitation placed upon her.

With Jesus, the only outsider is someone who refuses to come into the kingdom of God. But we don't readily think like this. For us, an outsider is anyone who's not in our inner circle of those with whom we feel comfortable. Often, it's anyone whom we judge as unworthy or inferior.

Many divorced people feel outcast from normal church life. Those struggling with homosexuality fear they have to hide their problems to be accepted by Christians. Laity are too often excluded from opportunities to fulfill their vocations in the Church, as they are overlooked or even feared by some of the clergy. The youth are judged as too immature to take on leadership roles in the parish. The elderly are judged as too sick or feeble-minded to be of much value. The innovators and pioneers in our Church are disregarded by those who resist change. And so on.

How have you been pushed aside and neglected?

As a lay woman who runs a Catholic ministry that's not run by a parish or diocese, I've felt like an outsider quite often. But every time I've been turned away or ignored, God has always provided a different avenue for the gifts he has called me to use. It's usually not what I expect, and sometimes I still feel frustrated, but God doesn't want anyone's desire for serving his kingdom go to waste. When obstacles occur, he sets new plans into motion, and they're always somehow better. He's doing this for you!

When we feel the sting of someone's prejudices, our reaction should be like that of the Canaanite woman. Instead of getting upset, instead of complaining, we should reveal our faith. There is our strength. There is our validation. Perhaps only Jesus will give us what we need, but when others fail to be his instruments of acceptance and caring, we can trust that even without them, his love, his approval of us, and his acceptance of us is significant and sufficient.

In revealing our faith, we persist in the truth that we are God's child, and that we're important to our Father. And because we ARE so beloved and important, when others fail to recognize and utilize our worth, he finds us a new venue for our gifts and talents and the meeting of our needs.

If we stay in touch with God, turning constantly to him for help, he will lead us to a place, an opportunity, or a community where Jesus will say, "Great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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