A lectionary meditation for our twentieth week of Ordinary Time in 2026

Again and again we are invited into the lifelong journey of becoming like Jesus. Within the church, this is sometimes referred to as ‘sanctification.’ It is a process where we actively engage with God in the refinement of our souls and characters. This shows up in one of the monastic vows – the ongoing conversion of our lives. At the same time I am becoming like Jesus, I am also like the Canaanite women in this week’s reading. Part of who I am would have also excluded me. I was not one of the descendants of Abraham. I was not one of the people who would have been included in the focused ministry of Jesus in the gospels.

The evangelist does not tell us why Jesus has gone that far north and left Galilee in this week’s Gospel reading from Matthew. It may be a continuation of Jesus seeking rest and retreat. This time He was bringing His disciples along with Him. I deeply admire the focus and determination Jesus shows us in the gospels. Here is a person who knows what they are here to do, and all that He does seems to serve the journey before Him. Some of this drive I can easily imagine coming from the knowledge that His death on the cross is before Him. Every step he takes, even these this week in the opposite direction from Jerusalem, brings Him closer to His death. The things that Jesus does matter. The things that I do matter.

In the midst of a foreign land, Jesus is stopped by the Canaanite woman. At first He ignores her and continues on. He reminds the disciples of his purpose – having been sent to a different people than her. As she hears His response to them, she places herself on her knees in his way. Upon conversing with her once more, Jesus becomes inspired by the greatness of her faith and gives her what she asked for. Jesus, with all of his focus, confidence, and clarity of purpose, paused to listen and bless her.

While I have a long way to go in becoming like Jesus, I have also had moments like this with God. Over ten years ago I moved to France with the belief, affirmation, and encouragement to start a new church here. It wasn’t until after I had been here for a number of years that the direction changed into Urban Monasticism. It is incredibly difficult to hold fast to a purpose God has given you while holding it loosely enough for that same God to change my direction. How can I live with confidence and purpose while keeping my heart and soul soft enough, gentle enough, for when God desires to show me something new?

I am far more like the Canaanite woman than I am like Jesus. To the Jewish people of her day, she was excluded because of one thing about her, her ancestry. This was not because of a choice she made or an action that she took. She was excluded because of part of who she was born to be. It is in how we know her – as a Canaanite. Like her, I am not a part of the promise made to Abraham and his descendants forever. It is not because of anything that I have done, but it is because of one part of who I am. My ancestors do not trace back to him.

Jesus and His disciples would not have ministered to me either on that side of the Cross. It can be hard to remember this as a Christian who was baptized into this family. Just like the faith of Abraham was the foundation of God’s promise to him, my faith today welcomes me into God’s family as an adopted child. The faith I hold today is a gift from God and not something I could ever deserve on my own. This was not yet the reality before the cross and Pentecost.

As the woman and Jesus interacted, we read that Jesus said something shocking and derogatory towards her. He said, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus grew up near there. The land of Galilee shares a border with Phoenicia, where Tyre and Sidon were located. Growing up there, Jesus would have heard a lot of things said about the Canaanites. He would have heard people dehumanize them and call them dogs.

These words from Jesus are likely one of those hateful phrases they all would have known. It feels like Jesus is trying to remind her that the Jews and the Canaanites have nothing to do with one another. Yet, she accepts all of who she is. She responds to Jesus. “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” She refused to let what others believe define how God could relate to her. Her response to Jesus is a full-chested expression of faith that broke generations of exclusion. Jesus praised her faith in the company of his disciples and gave her all she asked for.

She responded with faith in circumstances that we share. This is all to easy for me to forget. We were both born outside the promise God made to Abraham. This one thing about who she was made her an outsider. Yet, Jesus saw through this and saw her when His world did not. He accepted her. Jesus saw me and accepted me. There is nothing about who we are that keep us from Him. She knelt before Jesus and asked for mercy so that someone she loved would be healed. Jesus acknowledged her great faith and healed her daughter. Jesus knew that the bigotry he heard towards the Canaanites growing up wasn’t right, divine, or eternal.

At the time of their conversation, a day was rapidly approaching when gentiles from all over the world would be welcomed to kneel before Christ the King. Just like she did. For now, it is time I continue on my journey until my faith brings me face to face with Jesus just like hers did. I will then get to kneel before the Lord along with all the faithful who ever were and will be. All of us having been accepted, welcomed, and enjoying the presence of God forever.

May you continue on your journey of becoming with the faith God has given you.

Readings for the 20^th Sunday of Ordinary Time · Year A

Sunday readings according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

Photo Credit
Paul Prins on 19 May 2007 in New York City