TOPIC: A MOTHER PLEADS FOR HELP
20A Sunday HOMILY, MATTHEW 15:21-28, AUGUST 20, 2023
1. STORY
There were two tribes who were always fighting. One lived in the lowlands and the other in the
high mountains. One day the mountain
people invaded the lowlands, stole many items, and kidnapped a baby. Though the
lowland tribe did not know how to climb the mountains nor the mountain trails,
they sent their best fighting men up the mountain to bring the baby back. After several days of effort, they made little
progress. They felt hopeless and
helpless so decided to return to their village below. As they packed their gear for the descent,
they saw the baby’s mother walking toward them with her baby strapped to her
back. They were amazed and asked her how
she did this when they failed. She
replied, “It wasn’t your baby.” The
mother made every effort to rescue her child.
2. GOSPEL, MATTHEW 15:21-28
A) A MOTHER HELPS HER DAUGHTER
The mother could not cure her daughter but helped her in two ways. First, she used her power of speech to make known her need and to ask for help. “Lord, my daughter is terribly troubled by a demon.” Second, she had great faith in the power of Jesus to cure her daughter. She knew if she kept on asking, Jesus would help her.
B) JESUS HELPS THE MOTHER
At first Jesus refused to help her because he was sent to help the
Israelites, and the mother was not one of them. But because of the woman’s strong faith, Jesus
had a change of heart. He cured the
daughter. “Woman you have great faith. Your
wish will come to pass. That very moment her daughter got better.”
3. APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) WE CAN HELP OTHERS
There are many people who need our help. Our family, our friends, the sick, the elderly, the lonely, the confused, the poor, and many more. We may not solve their problems, but we can help them. First, we pray for them daily asking God to care for these needy persons. Second, we pray with faith in Jesus that he will definitely help them in his own way and in his own time. We follow the example of the mother in the gospel.
B) JESUS WILL HELP THE NEEDY
We believe that Jesus loves us, cares for us and has the power to help us.
We know that he listens to our prayers. We
must not expect immediate results. We
must not be discouraged but must persevere in praying. Jesus will give us the strength to accept his
will. He may not cure the needy person
but will give them strength to accept their cross.
4. CONCLUSION
The mother whose child was kidnapped made every effort to find her
child. Because of her determination to
find the child, she finally succeeded. We,
too, should have the same desire to help those in need. We do this by praying daily that
Jesus will help us in his own way and in his own time.
