First Reading: Jer 31:1-7; Psalm: Jer 31 R. v. 10d; Gospel: Mt 15:21-28

A HUMBLE AND PATIENT FAITH-BASED PRAYER

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

Do we complain of the silence of God to our prayers? We can see this happening in the request of the Canaanite woman. Jesus remained silent to her desperate appeal. So God’s silence did not begin today. Do we pray and expect immediate answer from God? We can also learn patience from this Canaanite woman. Despite the silence of Jesus, she remained hopeful and waited on Him. Do we feel that God sometimes treats us like trash? Of course we are nothing before God. The woman in the gospel of today accepted this fact. We do not merit God’s grace or mercy.

The silence of Jesus to this woman’s request was to test her faith and patience. And she proved worthy for she didn’t walk away despite the silence of Jesus to her request. This woman also accepted her nothingness and unworthiness by accepting Jesus’ condescending opinion of her. And truly, our sins make us even less than an animal before God. So humility was also visible in the prayer of this woman. She was patient, exuded faith and did all this in rare humility. The end was glorious. God answered her prayers and she went home happy.

Whenever we pray, the silence of God could be a test to our faith and patience because these two virtues are necessary requirements to prayer? Also, stooping very low to acknowledge our nothingness before God and our unworthiness to receive what we are asking for is a necessary humility when we kneel to pray. No one is worthy before God. Sometimes we tend to lay claim to certain blessings because we believe we are worthy of them. This is pride. Every blessing we receive from God is out of God’s unmerited grace. A patient and humble faith-based prayer appeals to God.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, increase our faith and teach us patience and humility. Amen.