When did He know?

    So when did Jesus know?  At this point in Jesus' ministry he is proclaiming that he was  'was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’  This is hardly the all embracing, loving, inclusive Jesus that we come to know through the rest of the Scriptures. When or how did Jesus decide that all of humanity was to receive the message of salvation?  

     Let's look back a bit.  First, for whom was this author writing? What messages was he/she or they trying to convey to their target audience? Each Gospel did have a target audience, each book of the New Testament had a different human author with different intent, however inspired.  That is one reason Jesus may have been presented this way.

      Another reason is that perhaps as fully human, Jesus allowed himself the joys of discovering embracing love?  Someone may read this and think I am a heretic but is it wrong to think that Jesus was on a journey of discovery himself? Did he have the knowledge of all creation at age seven?  How and when did Jesus come to know exactly who he was if he did not have all the information all the time.  In today's passage, Jesus is changing his mind a bit it seems. Yes, your faith is great, your daughter is healed. Embracing love.

         It is difficult for us to love sometimes when we are taught at such young ages to hate or that some people are less than others. All the more reason for us to become educated, to think about all of God's creations and come to know that we are all brothers and sisters. We are all children of God. God's love is for everyone.

         During this month of gay pride, the calling is for us to embrace everyone even though we may not understand everything.  Some years ago I discovered through the grapevine that my elderly Aunt thought I was mad at her. I had not called in some time.  In fact, there was no malice, no anger, I simply did not want to place my newly outed person into situations where I would be a target of misunderstanding or judgment.  Anyway, perhaps that was a lack of faith on my part at the time but in any event, I called. I spoke the truth to my beloved aunt. She said right up front that she did not understand such things. She did say however that she knew I was a good and loving person, that she knew that that had not changed and that she loved me very much.  Well into her 80's and such wisdom, such faith in action. Unrestricted, embracing love. Joy.

          Can we each try to know people and realize how much God loves them? certainly as much as God loves me or you. Can we see goodness even as we don't understand? Can we try to be as loving as Jesus calls us to be? 

Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.