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The Faith of the Canaanite Woman – From Father Andrew Bahhi

April 04, 2021
in The Word
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This is the 4th Sunday of the Great Lent, where we read in the book of Matthew about a beautiful miracle. We speak of the healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman.

One day Jesus was near Tyre and Sidon. There were gentiles there, nonbelievers, and there was also a faithful woman from that area. She came, and she was crying out to Jesus explaining her problem.

“Son of David, have mercy on my daughter because she is possessed by demons,” she said.

Jesus then looked to her while speaking “How great is your faith because I have never seen faith like yours in all of Israel. Let it be as you wish.” And at once, the daughter was clean from demons.

This text tells us a lot.

For instance, when people encounter trouble, they say “Why does God keep silent in times of trouble? Where is Jesus when I have pain and when I cry out to him?” Imagine you pray for something for years, or you pray to receive something, and you did not get it. That may make you think God disappeared at the time of trouble.

But let me remind you of something. We live in a very fragile world, and we don’t have the virtue of patience. Our life has become very fast, and we want fast results, but we have to be very careful that this is not the reality. This is what the Lord of this world telling you that everything can happen 1-2-3.

We have to understand that when God does not answer, we have to learn this virtue because life is not the way we learn from TV or social media. Life is way deeper. The Lord Jesus says, “By your patience possess your soul,” “by your patience you will gain your soul.”

This virtue is important to enter the eternal life. The good Lord is there for every one of us.

If we have desires for the blessing and to be the true child of God, there is no way except to learn this virtue. As it says in Hebrews, “You need to have perseverance, or patience, or endurance” so when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. You need patience to grow up spiritually so you can receive the promise.

So, when you ask, “God where are you?” he is there, working on you. He will not forsake us or leave us behind.

Because of this Canaanite woman’s patience, we all now know there is no one asking God and won’t receive. But not the way you want, but the way God wishes.

That’s why Paul says in Romans “Tribulations produce perseverance or patience. And perseverance produces character. And character, hope.”

So let us not reject or be without patience. Let us remember, that if we won’t be the way that God wants us, at the end of the day we won’t receive what he has prepared for every one of us.

And there’s the lesson for women. Can you imagine the Canaanite mother, how she endured rejection and traveled so far for only one thing, for her daughter to be healthy? The woman was able to bring healing, peace & comfort to her family because of her faith.

Because of you women, you’ll have children of faith. Because of you women, you’ll be able to transform the faith from generation to generation.

Because of you women, we can implant the faith of the church in our generation. And because of women, we can raise saints and holy people.

The Canaanite woman is the role model for women. No matter the hard times, she will push herself to the extreme to serve her daughter and family.

Learn more in Father Andrew’s Sunday sermon video here.

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