Loving God, you cleanse and renew your people by the power of your Spirit, filling us with your love. Cleanse our hearts this day as we gather together, empowering us to reflect the love of Christ in our world; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Some of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day had a particular aversion to uncleanness. By uncleanness I mean ritually unclean or impure, and any number of things could make you unclean: What you eat, touching a diseased person, being in the same house as a Gentile, or not using the proper rituals to wash your hands and your dining utensils. They believed that if something had made you ritually unclean, you were not acceptable in order to come before God and worship.

And so, these same people had a lot of trouble figuring out Jesus. He didn’t hesitate to touch diseased people, or even dead people. He and his disciples did not follow all of the rituals associated with washing hands and dining utensils. Jesus even ate with some of the most “impure” people around. And yet, the power of God seemed to emanate from Jesus. How could one who truly came from God have such disregard for the rules about cleanness and purity? This is what brings us to the whole discussion at the beginning of today’s gospel.

Jesus teaches the people and says, “Listen! It’s not what goes into your mouth that’s going to make you unclean. Eating prohibited foods or not doing the right rituals when you wash your hands – that’s nothing! Instead, what really makes you unclean is what comes out of your mouth. The things that come out of your mouth originate in your heart, just like other evil intentions and sins. Those are the things that will make you unclean.” (Cf. Mt. 15:10-20) Did you catch that? What comes out of your mouth shows what’s in your heart, and that’s what makes you unclean.

And so, in the next story, we hear what comes out of Jesus’ mouth, we hear what comes out of the disciples’ mouths, and we hear what comes out of the Canaanite woman’s mouth. The Canaanite woman, by popular definition, would have been considered to be unclean, sinful and pagan. Canaanites are mentioned quite often in the Old Testament, and it is never in a good light. The Israelites are to keep themselves separate from the Canaanites, for otherwise the Canaanites will corrupt them (Gen. 24:3; Ezra 9:1).

Yet, here is this Canaanite woman in today’s gospel, and everything that comes out of her mouth is an expression of faith. “Have mercy on me, Lord,” she cries. It is one of the earliest expressions of faith in Jesus, acknowledging him as Lord. “Son of David,” she cries, acknowledging Jesus as the promised Messiah – the one who will save his people. “My daughter is tormented by a demon” (Mt. 15:22). Her overriding concern for her daughter is what brings this woman to Jesus. Her daughter is tormented – either physical or mental illness is quite likely – and this woman believes that Jesus has the power to heal her.

The disciples, however, don’t seem to see her great faith. Deep prejudices would have been ingrained into them. They would have been taught to have nothing to do with Canaanites, or Gentiles of any sort. Yet, their response is not unique to this woman. “Send her away,” they say. “She keeps shouting after us” (Mt. 15:23). What comes out of their mouths shows what is in their hearts.

When the hungry crowds were thronging about Jesus in the wilderness, the disciples told Jesus to send them away (Mt. 14:15). When parents brought their children to Jesus in order that Jesus might bless them, the disciples wanted Jesus to send them away (Lk. 18:15). And now, when this woman who is so obviously in need comes to Jesus and begs for healing for her daughter, once again, the disciples want to send her away.

Apparently she is bugging them. She is vying for Jesus’ attention, just like the hungry crowd and the parents with their children. With their mouths, the disciples show what is in their hearts: Send her away, and let somebody else deal with her. Now, it would be one thing if Jesus was unable to help her. Then it might make sense to send her away. However, Jesus is quite capable of doing as she asks, just as he is capable of feeding the hungry crowd or blessing the children. Are there times when we are able to help somebody who comes to us and we send them away instead?

Jesus, for his part, does not send her away. However, the things that come out of his mouth in this case have left people puzzling for years. The things that he says seem cold and heartless – quite unlike the Jesus whom we see in the gospels as a whole. So what gives in this case?

Some have suggested that Jesus was speaking with a wink and a smile. Some have suggested that he was teaching the disciples a lesson by repeating commonly held prejudices and then pointing out the woman’s great faith. Some have suggested that Jesus was testing the woman’s faith. And some have said that Jesus was only beginning to realize that his mission was also to the Gentiles. Perhaps several of these suggestions are true.

Whatever the case may be, the focus in this story lands squarely on the great faith of this woman who was considered an outsider and a pagan. Regardless of what Jesus says, and regardless of what the disciples say, she knows in her heart that Jesus is Lord and that Jesus can heal her daughter. What comes out of her mouth shows what is in her heart, and even Jesus marvels at her great faith. He marvels – and he heals her daughter.

As for Jesus, his heart becomes known in all that he says and does – raising up those who are bowed down, healing the broken-hearted, giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, preaching good news to the poor, cleansing the lepers, and letting the oppressed go free. He shows compassion for the people, love for the people, and above all, love for God. His final act of love was not in what he said, but in what he did, for actions do speak louder than words. He gave his life for ours -- his righteousness for our sins -- his love for a hostile and uncaring world.

Eating with unwashed hands - associating with the wrong kind of people - touching those who were unclean – none of these things defiled Jesus. Instead, the cleansing and healing power of God flowed forth from him, making people whole, and clean, and renewed.

As we gather together today, may this same Jesus reach out and touch our hearts, cleansing and renewing us, filling us with faith and life, and empowering us to go out and embody God’s love in our daily lives. Amen.

Lectionary 20(A) Matthew 15:10-28
August 17, 2008
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

© 2008 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved