Homily for Thursday, 13 February 2014– Ferial

Thursday of the 5th week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: 1 Kings 11:4-13; Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37, 40; Mark 7:24-30

What does it mean for us to be a people favored by God? After all, we pray in our Responsorial Psalm: “Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.”

Jesus expands for us time and again what it means to be a people of God; a people favored by God. Our Gospel reading today follows disputes between Jesus and the crowds or the Jewish authorities over the interpretation and following of religious teachings: To what extent ought a good Jew to follow the many laws of their faith so that they might remain in God’s favor?

Yet this question misses Jesus’ point: Although a religion’s teachings are important to follow (please do not interpret what I am about to say otherwise), to be in God’s favour is not primarily about following these teachings to the letter, especially without understanding the reason for these teachings: the good of our relationship with God and with one another.

To show this, after the disputes with the crowds and religious authorities, Jesus goes to Tyre; into non-Jewish territory. There he drives the demon from the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter. That Jesus had even gone to be with the people of Tyre, let alone performed a miracle there, would have been scandalous to many Jews who consciously observed their faith. I can imagine the murmurs of many Jews of Jesus’ time: “Why is Jesus going to Tyre? Those people are not God’s chosen people; We are. How dare Jesus associate with them!”

Sadly, this mentality continues to exist even among many Christians today: Those non-Catholics; those non-Christians; those atheists… They are not us. They are not favored by God. They are not God’s people. Is it right to associate with them? Can they be saved?

Not long ago, to the shock of many, Pope Francis said that yes, “even atheists”; certainly non-Christians whose hearts are with God can be saved.

That our hearts be with God is of primary significance. The Syrophoenician woman’s daughter is cleansed of a demon because the woman’s heart is with God, even more than perhaps anyone but God himself knows. In our first reading, Solomon is not reproved primarily for failing to follow religious teachings or for allowing his wives to worship other gods, although he does and this is clearly wrong. No, we hear that Solomon’s “heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God.” This is his greatest fault; his greatest impediment to favor with God.

May our hearts, then, be with our God. Let us pray that the same may be said of those who do not share our Christian faith but who will good and do good. As one people of God, then, may we be remembered, and may those who do not know or believe in God, together with all of us, be commended to God’s mercy. “Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.”