Twelfth week of Pentecost Homily Helper

Twelfth Week of Pentecost
Sunday: The Fruit of the Message to the Gentiles and The Canaanite Womans Faith
Book of Offering Page 425 or 492 Ephesians 3:1-13 Matthew 15:21-28

Reading: Ephesians 3:1-13
Because of this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ (Jesus) for you Gentiles– if, as I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, (namely, that) the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power. To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light (for all) what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens. This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over my afflictions for you; this is your glory.

Biblical Exegesis
[3:1–13] Paul reflects on his mission to the Gentiles. He alludes to his call and appointment to the apostolic office (Eph 3:2–3) and how his insight through revelation, as well as that of the other apostles and charismatic prophets in the church (Eph 3:4–5), has deepened understanding of God’s plan of salvation in Christ. Paul is the special herald (Eph 3:7) of a new promise to the Gentiles (Eph 3:6): that the divine plan includes them in the spiritual benefits promised to Israel. Not only is this unique apostolic role his; Paul also has been given the task of explaining to all the divine plan of salvation (Eph 3:8–9), once hidden. Through the church, God’s plan to save through Christ is becoming manifest to angelic beings (Eph 3:10; cf. Eph 1:21), in accord with God’s purpose (Eph 3:11). The fulfillment of the plan in Christ gives the whole church more confidence through faith in God (Eph 3:12). The readers of this letter are also thereby encouraged to greater confidence despite Paul’s imprisonment (Eph 3:13).

[3:1] A prisoner of Christ: Paul abruptly departs from his train of thought at the end of Eph 3:1, leaving an incomplete sentence.

[3:2] Stewardship: the Greek is the same term employed at Eph 1:10 for the plan that God administers (Col 1:25) and in which Paul plays a key role.

[3:3–4] The mystery: God’s resolve to deliver Gentiles along with Israel through Christ.

[3:9] [For all]: while some think this phrase was added so as to yield the “sense “to enlighten all about the plan…,” it is more likely that some manuscripts and Fathers omitted it accidentally or to avoid the idea that all conflicted with Paul’s assignment to preach to the Gentiles (Eph 3:8) specifically.

[3:10] Principalities and authorities: Paul often writes that all will be subject to Christ, even angelic beings.

II. Background to Ephesians
Ephesians is the great Pauline letter about the church. It deals, however, not so much with a congregation in the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor as with the worldwide church, the head of which is Christ (Eph 4:15), the purpose of which is to be the instrument for making God’s plan of salvation known throughout the universe (Eph 3:9–10). Yet this ecclesiology is anchored in God’s saving love, shown in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:4–10), and the whole of redemption is rooted in the plan and accomplishment of the triune God (Eph 1:3–14). The language is often that of doxology (Eph 1:3–14) and prayer (cf. Eph 1:15–23; 3:14–19), indeed of liturgy and hymns (Eph 3:20–21; 5:14).

The majestic chapters of Ephesians emphasize the unity in the church of Christ that has come about for both Jews and Gentiles within God’s household (Eph 1:15–2:22, especially Eph 2:11–22) and indeed the “seven unities” of church, Spirit, hope; one Lord, faith, and baptism; and the one God (Eph 4:4–6). Yet the concern is not with the church for its “own sake but rather as the means for mission in the world (Eph 3:1–4:24). The gifts Christ gives its members are to lead to growth and renewal (Eph 4:7–24). Ethical admonition is not lacking either; all aspects of human life and relationships are illumined by the light of Christ (Eph 4:25–6:20).

The letter is seemingly addressed by Paul to Christians in Ephesus (Eph 1:1), a place where the apostle labored for well over two years (Acts 19:10). Yet there is a curiously impersonal tone to the writing for a community with which Paul was so intimately acquainted (cf. Eph 3:2 and Eph 4:21). There are no personal greetings (cf. Eph 6:23). More significantly, important early manuscripts omit the words “in Ephesus”. Many therefore regard the letter as an encyclical or “circular letter” sent to a number of churches in Asia Minor, the addressees to be designated in each place by its bearer, Tychicus (Eph 6:21–22). Others think that Ephesians is the letter referred to in Col 4:16 as “to the Laodiceans.”

Paul, who is designated as the sole author at Eph 1:1, is described in almost unparalleled terms with regard to the significant role he has in God’s plan for bringing the Gentiles to faith in Christ (Eph 3:1–12) Yet at the time of writing he is clearly in prison (Eph 3:1; 4:1; 6:20), suffering afflictions (Eph 3:13). Traditionally this “Captivity Epistle” has, along with Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon, been dated to an imprisonment in Rome, likely in A.D. 61–63. Others appeal to an earlier imprisonment, perhaps in Caesarea (Acts 23:27–27:2). Since the early nineteenth century, however, much of critical scholarship has considered the letter’s style and use of words (especially when compared with Colossians), its concept of the church, and other points of doctrine put forward by the writer as grounds for serious doubt about authorship by Paul. The letter may then be the work of a secretary writing at the apostle’s direction or of a later disciple who sought to develop Paul’s ideas for a new situation around A.D. 80–100.

Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
Then Jesus went from that place and 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.

Biblical Exegesis
[15:21–28] is related to Mt 8:5–13 where the story comes from Q Source and is also reflected in Jn 4:46–54. The similarity between the Q story and the Johannine is due to a common oral tradition, not to a common literary source. As in the later story of the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21–28) Jesus here breaks with his usual procedure of ministering only to Israelites and anticipates the mission to the Gentiles.

[15:24] like Mt 10:5–6. Jesus and the Twelve are sent only to Israel. This saying may reflect an original Jewish Christian refusal of the mission to the Gentiles, but for Matthew it expresses rather the limitation that Jesus himself observed during his ministry.

[15:26] The children: the people of Israel. Dogs: also Mt 7:6. Dogs and swine were Jewish terms of contempt for Gentiles. This saying may originally have derived from a Jewish Christian community opposed to preaching the gospel (what is holy, pearls) to Gentiles. In the light of Mt 28:19 that can hardly be Matthew’s meaning. He may have taken the saying as applying to a Christian dealing with an obstinately impenitent fellow Christian (Mt 18:17).

[15:28] As in the case of the cure of the centurion’s servant (Mt 8:10), Matthew ascribes Jesus’ granting the request to the woman’s great faith, a point not made equally explicit in the Marcan parallel (Mk 7:24–30).

Sample Homily

The Ancient Church understood itself by its “visible marks”, that being The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This idea of “The Marks of the Church” are still referred to by all who claim to be extensions of the Ancient, Primitive, Bibilical Church and the Church of the Fathers. Indeed, the Catholic Communion of Churches in union with the Pope of Rome, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches, and even the Anglican Communion, Lutheran, and other Protestant communities would claim to be members of the The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Of course it is not our intent here to argue which of these ecclesial communites may or may not have retained the “ancient faith”, rather it is our purpose here in relation to today’s readings to express the importance of the Catholic mark of the Church.
The “Catholic” evangelization of the ancient world took place in phases, first Our Lord and his disciples went to the “lost sheep” of the children of Israel, then to their long estranged cousins the Samaritans, and after Our Lord’s Resurrection and the Pentecost – to the Gentiles, or non-Jewish world.
The message of the Apostolic preaching was that salvation was open to all, through Jesus Christ, that there were no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, man or woman, as concerns salvation and favor from God, for all are one in Christ. This being so we must ask ourselves if we still reflect that message in our preaching today, in our evangelization, for the visibility of our “Catholic Mark” depends upon it. The Church is not Catholic because it is geographically universal, it is Catholic because it is in the hearts, minds, and souls of men and women around the universe, and that together we can proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ. This is why Christian division is a “scandal” to the faith, this is why “bigotry” is a scandal to the faith, this is “prejudice” is a scandal to the faith, this is why an “unforgiving spirit” is a scandal to the faith. The Church is a hospital, a Catholic hospital for the soul, where all are called to be healed, and loved – this was the mission of Paul, this was the mission of Peter, this was the mission of the Church yesterday, today, and until the Kingdom is poured out upon us in its fullness.