Author: Dave

ISAIAH 22: 19-23
PSALM 137: 1-3, 6, 8 R. v. 8
ROMANS 11: 13-15, 29-32
MATTHEW 15: 21-28

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Who do you say ‘Jesus is’? Every Sunday we profess our faith in God by reciting the creed. And we say that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and is the only Son of God. But our true faith in Jesus is not proven just by the words we profess, but in how we follow him.

In today’s gospel, Peter professes his faith in Jesus in proclaiming who he truly is. Jesus’ response is to call Peter lead His Church. Jesus, in so doing is saying that our belief in Him, in God is not just words spoken but faith which we live out as a Church.

The call to be God’s Church is a call to bring others to God, the saving of souls, to make God known. As Church, we are called to be a sign of God’s kingdom. In a world often challenged, we are called to be a light to a better way.

Our very creed which we profess each Sunday begins with our belief in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and then it continues………for to believe in God is to believe in the mission that God’s love calls us to; to be One, Holt Catholic and Apostolic Church.

In a world where there is division and hatred, we are call to be One, united in faith in God’s love. In a world where there is sin because of pride and selfishness, we are call to be Holy, and humble before God and so caring of our neighbour.

In a world where there is poverty and injustice, we are call to be Catholic, universal, there for everyone. In a world where there is pain and suffering, we are call to be Apostolic, in bringing God’s healing love.

As we profess the faith, let us ask ourselves how have we lived our faith as One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church? God’s love awaits our belief to make this a reality.

It is in this context that I came to Merredin and Kellerberrin and now go to a smaller country town for it is there that I believe that God is calling me. In fact that is why I became a priest in the first place. A friend mentioned that I must be mad to go to Corrigin and Bencubbin. I told him I know that I am mad: that was what someone said to me when I told her that I was thinking of becoming a priest.

To follow God can seem folly to many but for us who have faith, it is the only way.

Thank you for your friendship and support. I leave with sadness but I will always have wonderful memories of you and will always keep you in my prayers. Please keep me in your prayers.

ISAIAH 56: 1, 6-7
PSALM 66: 2-3, 5-6 R. v. 4
ROMANS 11: 13-15, 29-32
MATTHEW 15: 21-28

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Last week, we heard that when Jesus held out his hand to Peter, Peter was saved and how when Jesus entered the boat to be with his disciples, the storm stopped.

I spoke about prayer being an essential part of our faith journey for it is when we spend time in daily prayer to God, letting God into our lives or sit with us in our boat that we will come to know His love and will for us in the midst of storms of our lives.

Today’s Gospel tells us something more about prayer. When the Canaanite woman cries out to Jesus, he ignores her. But she persists. When the disciples pleads with him, he reminds them he has a bigger mission: He seems disinterested.
The woman now kneels at his feet and pleads. And he seems to insult her. But she continues to plead.

She did not say that what Jesus said was wrong in what he said only that even the little blessing of God is good enough for her. It is here that Jesus praises her for her faith.

How often in our prayer we can feel like the Canaanite woman. Yes, it is easy to speak about God walking beside us in the storms of our lives. But these can just seem to be words when nothing seems to be happening. I feel ignored. God seems disinterested. I feel abandoned by God. Has God actually heard my prayers? Does God truly care about me?

I think the thing we need to ask is not “Why does God not answer my prayers?” But: “Are we listening to God’s response to our prayers.”

There was an instance when two sisters were fighting each other. One kept praying to God that He will change her sister to make her a better person. But nothing happened. It may be that God is telling her to let go of her hatred of her sister first that through her love there can be reconciliation.

In the current financial crisis what do we pray for? How many of us have prayed for a more just world and a more just distribution of the world’s wealth.

I have found in my own life that when what I pray for does not come about, learning to trust in God, my own faith has grown. Trust is an essential part of prayer.

Prior to this reading in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus has an arguments with the Pharisees. Jesus calls them hypocrites because they are more interested in human traditions whilst their hearts are far away from the Word of God.

Now he goes to Gentile territory, that is, where the foreigners lived. There he encounters the Canaanite woman.

There is a contrast between the Pharisee and the Canaanite woman. The Pharisees were more interested in themselves and their man made laws. The Canaanite woman placed her total trust at the mercy of God. She recognized her own insignificance in the presence of God.

How often we too can be caught up with the things we do as Christians and forget the God who speaks to us.

The starting point of prayer is always God and not ourselves. It has to begin with a desire to know God, a desire for a relationship with God and not what God can give us. It begins from the heart. This is what the ‘Our father’ prayer that Jesus taught us reflects.

God has made the first move towards us. Through Christ, in his death and resurrection, God has opened us to a new relationship with Him.

It is when we want to know God in our heart we will know that God cares for us because God loves. And we will trust in His love for us no matter what. It is in trusting God that we will seek always what God is offering each of us. In our prayers let us first remember God’s love for us and let us always ask “What is your will God for us?”