Please, Lord!

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, the woman with a daughter tormented by demons teaches us to persevere in faith and prayer. She seeks out Jesus and says, "have pity on me," but Christ does not respond. She pleads again, "Lord, help me," but he seeming ignores her plea. Again, she cries out to him, "Please, Lord!". This time, Christ answers and heals her daughter.

Many of us give up on God too easily and quickly. We petition God through prayer and when He does not respond right now, we convince ourselves that God does not love us, that He does care about us, and so we do not want to have to anything to do with Him. Nothing could be further from the truth. In those times of when our prayers seemingly go unheard by God, He is preparing our hearts to receive the outpouring of grace from His Sacred Heart for what is to come.

We have to trust Him, trust that He desires nothing but the best for us. It is hard, no doubt about it because we are anxious about many things and that robs us of the peace that God desires for us. Therefore, the next time that we pray a prayer of petition, start with prayer of adoration, then go to prayer of thanksgiving, then move to prayer of atonement, and, finally, prayer of petition. This will help us to open our hearts fully to receive His love, mercy, and will in our hearts, to trust Him completely.

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Gospel of the Day

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.