Persistent Faith That Knows No Obstacle
Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from August 17, 2008
"Send her away, for she keeps calling after us." Mathew 15:25
I remember the last evening we had with my mother before she had a stroke that left her speechless for the remainder
of her life. She was in discussion with an aunt on the topic of prayer. "Danny Hyde, a neighbor, used to say that
he did not believe in prayers of petition. He believed that he should not bother God with all his petty concerns. He
preferred to say prayers of thanks. I totally disagree. I believe in storming heaven for what we need." Then she
turned to me for scriptural corroboration. I came up with the passage about the corrupt judge who gave assistance to
the aggrieved widow because he was afraid she would do him harm. I could just as well have used today's gospel about
the Canaanite woman who kept calling after the disciples. Even when she was rebuffed by the Lord himself, "I Was
sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," she did not take 'no' for an answer. Her daughter was healed.
The walls of race and religious difference fell before her persistence.
The story also reminded me of my youngest sister, Margaret. Her son came back from a summer vacation with an ear
infection. She went to her family doctor who gave the child a few drops and sent them home. The ear ache continued.
She went to the emergency room, where she must have met nurse Cratchett. She dismissed the child's pain and had them
wait interminably. Finally Margaret got in touch with a friend who was an eye, ear and throat specialist. He judged
that the child needed a procedure urgently and cut away a dangerous abscess.
We are called to a persistent faith that knows no obstacle. Let us make our own, the opening prayer of today's
liturgy; "Almighty God, ever-loving Father, your care extends beyond the boundaries of race and nation to the hearts
of all who live. May the walls, which prejudice raises between us, crumble beneath the shadow of your outstretched
arm."
