Eighteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

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.”

The Canaanite woman’s faith, persistence, and humility pay off in today’s gospel. She does not let Jesus refuse her request, but she does so out of faith in him and in a spirit of humility. She does not demand that Jesus heal her daughter, instead she begs for Jesus to help her. We can learn a lot about how to approach God with our petitions from the Canaanite woman. When faced with a trial or suffering, we should have faith that things will turn out for the best, but we should also persist in our prayers for God’s help, while retaining a humble heart. We should never expect to be aided by God, but rather hope He will grant us His help. In this way, we will always be thankful for whatever help, great or small, He lends us.

When we ask for God’s help, do we truly believe He will come to our aid? When help does not come immediately, how do we respond? Do we continue to petition Him in a spirit of humility or complain about how He has not helped us?

O Lord, please take pity on us and help us in our times of need.

Amen.