Jeremiah 31:1-7 / Matthew 15:21-28
To empathize is to have the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.
It means putting ourselves in someone else's shoes and seeing things from their point of view.
Empathy would lead to compassion which is a deep feeling of sadness or pity for another person's pain.
It means noticing someone who is hurting and taking action to support them.
In the gospel, a Canaanite woman came up to Jesus and pleaded, “Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.”
Surprisingly, Jesus answered her not a word.
Even His disciples pleaded with Jesus to give her what she wanted, but that was because she was shouting after them, and causing unnecessary attention.
Even though Jesus said that He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, the woman knelt at His feet and pleaded, “Lord, help me.”
And when Jesus said that it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs, the woman retorted by saying that the house-dogs can still eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.
It may seem rather surprising that Jesus was making it so difficult for that poor woman who had a genuine need.
But it seems that Jesus is making her to be an example of persistent and persevering faith because in the end He affirmed her of her great faith and granted her request.
Even though she was a Canaanite woman and an outsider, yet she displayed her great faith in Jesus.
So, for us who believe and have faith, we should be even more persistent and persevering.
It will be by our faith, especially in times of despair and desperation that we bear witness to God’s everlasting love for us.