Chinese Mass：Every Sunday 2:15 p.m.
Our Lady of the Assumption RC Church, Assumption Priory, Victoria Park Square, Bethnal Green E2 9PB (map)
After Mass you are welcome to join the community for a tea gathering
Bible study/sharing every Saturday (2:00-4:00 p.m.) at Notre Dame De France Church, 5 Leicester Place WC2H 7BX (near See Woo Chinese Supermarket, Leicester Square tube station)
Talk and discussion meeting First Tuesday of every month (4:00-6:00 p.m.) at Notre Dame De France Church
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[1st Reading – Is.56:1.6-7; Ps.66; 2nd Reading – Rom.11:13-15.29-32; Gospel – Mt.15:21-28]
LORD, HELP ME
The Canaanite woman of the Gospel addressed Jesus as “Son of David”, a title reserved to the Messiah. It is therefore perplexing why Jesus did not give heed to her pleads. Furthermore, she was using the words used by the Jews to pray: “…take pity on me”; and she was also asking something that God Himself has been doing from the beginning of time – to free the human being from the devil’s torments…
Jesus’ reaction was that He just kept silent a word. This reminds us of His trial, when he was in front of Pilate. Even here, when He was asked about the truth He did not say anything. By the way, she was saying true things about Him… So, again, why is it that He did not give heed to her?! Neither did He when the disciples pleaded with Him?! It seems as if Jesus was refusing to listen… especially because the disciples’ reasons were that she was “shouting”.
By now the woman was at His feet, kneeling – characteristic of those who are putting their fate totally in the other person. This time she just says “Lord, help me”. She does not mention anyone else but is in front of Him. While before she asked for pity on her because of her daughter, now she is asking for help just for her own sake. Even here, Jesus seems to have problems to help her: “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.” Only after He heard what she had to say did He help her: “…even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table”. Once again she is recognising Him as Master…
Poor woman! She had everything against her, especially the fact that she was Canaanite. She was an unbeliever who was pleading with Him just because He happened to be passing from the whereabouts. Jesus put her to the test by putting her on the same level as an animal, not even of a slave… She continued to persist… And her persistence won His favours: “Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted”. This “her wish” does not reduce itself to her daughter’s freedom from the devil’s torments, because of which one should show pity, but also, and most of all, the “help” that she asked, because of which she now shows that she truly believes! She now has faith, she became part of the ‘House of Israel’.
“Lord, sometimes we do ask You to have pity on us but then we do not do anything to merit your pity. Sometimes we do address You as Son of David and as Master and Lord, but at the same time we do not really believe what we say. We are so used to saying a lot of words that we hardly mean them. Sometimes, Lord, in our spiritual being, we are strangers in our own house. Lord, enlighten us to be more conscious of our deeds”
Fr. Jesmond Pawley, OFM Conv.
(Permission to reproduce on this site by Fr. Jesmond, St. Patrick’s RC Church, Waterloo http://www.stpatrickwaterloo.org.uk/ )
Tags: assumption, bethnal green, catholic, centre, chinese, church, london, mass, our lady, religion, st patricks, westminster, worship
London Chinese Catholic Community UK 
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