Reminiscere, the 2nd Sunday in Lent + Matthew 15:21-28

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Lord does not always answer our prayers immediately. Too often we fall prey to the notion that God should give us what we want and that He should give it to us right now. That makes sense though. This is how we go through so much of life. Look at children. “Mommy, I want this.” And if Mommy doesn’t meet that need at that very moment, then there are tantrums and tears. You certainly can’t reason with a child and ask, “Have I ever let you starve before?” because children don’t think like that. They only feel what they don’t have at that moment. Adults are no better. When we want something we want it now. If we don’t get it we nag, or become sullen and grumpy. Adults have the same notion as children, adults are just better at hiding it. The child and the adult want instant gratification. Both want their needs, or wants in most cases, met immediately and too often approach God in prayer with this same attitude. “Give me what I need. Give it to me now.”

But that isn’t the way God works. Jesus shows us this, and a better way, in today’s gospel lesson. Jesus goes into the region of Tyre and Sidon, an area outside the boundaries of ancient Israel. He walks among the Gentiles and a Gentile woman approaches Him in prayer. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” If ever there were a dire need, this is surely it. The love of a mother for her child is boundless and the grief of a mother who can’t help her suffering child is immeasurable. This woman brings her great need to Jesus. She’s heard the good report about Him. She’s heard that He is gracious and compassionate. She believes that He is the Messiah promised to come from the Jews, that’s why she calls Him, “Son of David,” for Messiah would come from David’s line. She believes Christ can help so she prays to Him, “Have mercy on me.” But Jesus doesn’t respond. “He answered her not a word.” No immediate response. When we pray and don’t get an immediate response it can be vexing. But this woman is standing right in from of Jesus and He remains silent. How much worse is this silence?

It doesn’t take the disciples long to fill that void. If God won’t speak, man will. “Send her away, for she cries out after us,” they say. Jesus is silent and His disciples move to have her escorted away. Before they’re able to though, Jesus speaks. “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He effectively tells her that He isn’t going to help her, that His mission doesn’t include people outside Israel. First there was silence. Now there’s a hard “no.” It’s as if Jesus were saying, “It’s not my job to help you.” Many people would have been deterred at these words and left. After all, it’s rude to press someone for help after they’ve already declined. But this woman doesn’t care about being rude. Her daughter is “severely demon-possessed.” So she comes and worships Him and cries out again, “Lord, help me.” The prayer is much simpler this time around, but her faith has not weakened under Jesus’ silence, His disciples’ disgust, and now Jesus’ brush off.

Then comes the final blow. “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” There will be no healing today. No answered prayer. No relief from the power of the devil. The blessings of God are for the people of God. The bread is for the children, not little dogs. How many of us would tuck our tails between our legs like a little dog at this point, hang our head, and slink away with a whimper? But not this woman. “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’ table.” This woman’s faith is remarkable, so remarkable, in fact, that Jesus calls it great! “You’ve called me a dog, and not a child of God. Fine. But even dogs get a little something, even if it’s just scraps from the supper table. I am a dog. I am not a Jew. But be compassionate to the dog underneath your table.” Jesus calls this woman’s faith great for three reasons. First, she is unrelenting. She does not let Jesus’ silence, the disciples’ remarks, or even Jesus’ harsh words deter her. Second, she firmly believes that Jesus will answer her for good and not for evil. Third, she holds on tightly to the word that Jesus does give her. He calls her a little dog, so she use that word to press her case yet again. She clings to every word of Jesus, even this harsh word which calls her a dog. For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Her faith is rewarded and she receives her petition.

Dear saints, this woman is given to you as an example so that you do not give up in your prayers, but that you might have this faith which Jesus calls great. Like the woman, you all have great need in this life. And like her, your prayers are not often immediately answered. And when your prayers fall on what seem like deaf ears, and after you ask again, giving up seems the better course. This is a temptation of the devil, who does not want you pray or receive any good thing from God. He would much rather show you your unworthiness to distract you from prayer and faith. Wallowing in your unworthiness will eventually drown your faith. It is one think to admit that aren’t worthy or deserving of any of the things for which we pray. That much is true and should be admitted. But you don’t pray because you are worthy. You pray because Christ has commanded you to pray and because He has promised to answer you. Look at this poor woman. Christ Himself tells her that she is unworthy. He calls her a little dog! But she admits it and throws herself on Christ’s mercy. That alone is the reason He answers our prayers, not because of any merit or worthiness in us.

This is what we sang in the Introit for this morning. “Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O LORD” (Psalm 25:6-7). This is what your Lord wants to teach you again this Sunday. We call today after the first word from the Introit. Reminiscere, which is Latin for “Remember.” Don’t remember our sins, whether they be the sins of our youth, or the sins of yesterday. And most certainly don’t reward us according to our iniquities or take them into consideration when you hear our prayers. But remember your tender mercies. Remember your goodness. Remember your promise to hear our prayer. Remember your promise to give us what we need when we need it.

Oftentimes the Lord does not answer our prayer immediately. You experience this regularly. But it’s not because He doesn’t love us. Nor is it because He counts our sins against us. When He doesn’t answer us immediately, He’s doing to us what He did to the Canaanite woman. He’s testing and exercising our faith to strengthen it, so it may be great like hers. He wants it to be unrelenting, so that you persist and not give up. He wants your faith to believe that He is good and gracious, compassionate and merciful. He wants your faith to hold on to the word He gives you and use it as you pray. To you He gives so many more words than He did that Canaanite woman. You have the entire Scripture, full of promises which you can hold before your Lord Jesus in faith, saying, “Fulfill your promise as you said you would!” May your faith be strengthened so that you may pray confidently and not doubt. But may you also be humble as this woman was; not demanding, not childish, but trusting that He will give you everything that He promised in His Word. For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.