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e-Good News

The Gospel of MatthewIssue8/August/2011

During August the Gospels remind us that each of usis required to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Each of the Gospel accounts of the

feeding of the crowd is followed with

a story of Jesus coming to rescue the

disciples in a storm. Matthew begins his

account with Jesus sending the crowds

home and asking the disciples to go

ahead of him.

Jesus wanted to spend time in prayer.

The disciples wanted to make progresswithout Jesus but ailed due to

conditions. We learn that when there are

storms, Jesus can intervene or us. We

also can learn that sometimes in our

naivety we try to do things without

Jesus. It is Jesus who saves each o us.

During August the Gospels remind us

that each o us is required to have a

personal relationship with Jesus. Weare invited to reect on the important

question, Who do you think I am? It is

not a group response, but an invitation

or each individual person to answer the

question o who is Jesus and what is my

relationship with him really like. As we

read the Gospel this month, let us reect

on our personal relationship with Jesus.

We pray or courage to trust and ollowhim even i it means getting out o the

comort o the boat and doing what

he asks!

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GOD OF THE NATIONS,

to your table all are invited

and in your family no one is a stranger.

Satisfy the hunger of those gathered in this house

of prayer,

and mercifully extend to all the people on earth

the joy of salvation and faith.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity

of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday ReectionIn Matthew, Jesus does not go outside Jewish territory. Probablywe should translate, Jesus went towards or in the direction ofTyreand Sidon (a denitely Gentile area).

Again, we should translate, a woman came out from that region,i.e. she left home and entered the land of Israel to meet Jesus.Calling her a Canaanite evokes the ancient, historical enemies ofthe Israelites. The woman calls Jesus Lord no fewer than threetimes.

This ignoring her (probably a bit of a shock for us) resembleshis reaction in Matthew 8:7. Translating that verse as a question

makes more sense of the centurions reaction in the next verse.Possibly we are overhearing the tendency of some in theMatthean community to exclude those of Gentile origin.

A plea, simple and full of pathos, resembling many prayers in thePsalms.

Matthew omits the softening in Marks rst, which gavegrounds for hope. The parabolic reply is accordingly moreabsolute and blunt. Bread means salvation, the offer of theKingdom. Dogs means the Gentiles is a very insulting way.

In Matthew, the woman accepts the priority of the Jews andeven the insult of dogs.

This is very like the reaction of Jesus in the story of the centurion:When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those whofollowed him, Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I foundsuch faith (Matthew 8:10). Likewise the closing of the miraclestory is dispatched in similar words: And to the centurion Jesussaid, Go; let it be done for you according to your faith. And theservant was healed in that hour. (Matthew 8:13).

POINTERS FOR PRAYER

Having met with rejection rom the Pharisees Jesus goes towardsGentile territory and encounters aith in an unexpected place,in the Canaanite woman. His mission had previously been to hisown people. This adds a new dimension to his mission. Have youhad occasions when a chance encounter set your lie o in a newdirection?

The Canaanite woman was not concerned or hersel but orher daughter. Recall people you have known who have beencommitted to a noble cause.

The initial reaction o Jesus to the woman was one o rejection buther persistence won a response rom him. When have you ound

that persistence was needed to gain what you sought? What didthat experience teach you?

Who are the Canaanite women who call out or attention today -people in church or state whose needs are not being attended to?

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Prayer

Read the Gospel either from yourmissal or from your Bible

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Sunday 14th August -20th Sunday in Ordinary TimeWomen, you have great faithMatthew 15:21-28

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POINTERS FOR PRAYER

This marks a turning point in the lie o Jesus, and o the disciples.It is the frst time that his disciples recognise him as the Messiah.Recall turning points in your own journey o aith when you cameto some deeper understanding o who Jesus is.

Who do you say that I am? This is possibly the most importantquestion that Jesus puts to us. In your heart o hearts, how do youanswer this question today?

Jesus praises Peter or his aith and comments that this was nothis own doing but a git o God. Perhaps there have been timeswhen you have been conscious o the git o your aith.

Be thankul or the git you have received.

1Sunday ReectionCaesarea Philippi had associations with Baal and with Pan.The sacred nature may contrast with the confession here. Sonof Man is used in the strong sense based Daniel.

This list reects the Old Testament above. Alone in the Gospels,Matthew names the prophet Jeremiah and seems to have aspecial interest in him.

The direct questions jump out of the text and speak to us today.

Matthew adds Son of the living God. Compare: But Jesus wassilent. Then the high priest said to him, I put you under oathbefore the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of

God. (Matthew 26:63)Starting with a beatitude, the text seems to move on to areport of a revelation, which many scholars think of as after theResurrection. The resurrection appearance to Peter is reported inthe New Testament but never narrated.

The new role for Peter as Rabbi for the Christian community isdescribed here.

This has to do with inclusion and exclusion in the church an embryonic form of the later penitential practice and of themuch later excommunication laws. POINTERS

Read the Gospel either from yourmissal or from your Bible

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LIVING GOD, you sent your Son among us

to reveal your wisdom and make known your ways.

Increase our faith, that we may confess Jesus as your Son,

take up his work on earth, and trust his promise to sustain

the Church.

Prayer

Sunday 21st August 21st Sunday in Ordinary TimeWho do you say I am?Matthew 16:13-20

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