Sunday August 16: A House of Prayer for All Peoples

Marc Chagall, Peace Window segment, 1964

Thus says the Almighty: Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed. The foreigners who join themselves to God … loving and serving the Holy One—… them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer. … For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
- Isaiah 56:1, 6-7

Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 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.”
- Matthew 15:21-28

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What are we to make of Jesus’ initial response to this Syrophoenician (Canaanite) woman who comes to him in desperation, seeking healing for her daughter? We are accustomed to the stories of Jesus as generous, wise, and just, but here he appears uncharacteristically rude, insensitive – even verbally cruel. Why is this encounter included in Matthew’s gospel?

One interpretation suggests that Jesus’ sharp reply intentionally sets up a lesson for the disciples. When Jesus initially rejects the Canaanite woman’s plea, she does not back down—she persists, revealing to all the depth of her faith. In the first century CE, “dogs” was a common pejorative used for Gentiles and others who were considered outsiders to the Jewish community. When Jesus mirrors the dismissive attitude of his in-group toward outsiders, the woman’s humble (and witty) persistence in the face of rejection teaches the disciples about the faith and dignity of the other.

Another perspective sees the woman’s response to Jesus’ rebuke as initiating a pivotal change in his ministry. In light of her unflinching resolve, Jesus recognizes that his mission is to extend beyond the “lost sheep of Israel” to include people from other tribes and nations. The suggestion here is that the gospel, the Way of the Heart, is ultimately universal in scope — for the divinely bestowed gifts of love, compassion, forgiveness, and justice are not restricted to one singular creed, community, or culture. Spirit knows no borders.

In a similar vein, Centering Prayer is an invitation to a contemplative journey that is rooted in Christ yet also transcends denominational and religious differences. This recognition is reflected in the Vision of Contemplative Outreach, which states, “We affirm our solidarity with the contemplative dimension of other religious and sacred traditions. We engage in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and work together [with practitioners of other faiths] in areas of social justice, ecological concerns, and contemplative initiatives” (theological principle #11). Indeed, those who take up the path of heartful and ever-deepening consent to the Beloved — the Mystery known through the many holy names of God — are building a house of prayer for all peoples.

Meditations

“The [Canaanite] woman persists; she stays with the Word of God, the presence of Jesus, in her need and desire, and she is given what she needs and wants and more! She is given honor by Jesus, praise and acceptance into his company, his house, and his community, as well as a life of hope and a future for herself and her daughter. And Jesus is given an insight into himself, an extension of his mission and identity, a connection to another world, to seeing himself not only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to all and everyone who will listen and honor his message and his God, to anyone who cares for all the children of earth, all nations and races and religions and cultures. There is room in the kingdom for all.”
- Megan McKenna, Not Counting Women and Children

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“The first thing the religions really have to do is not convert more people … but to promote communion between the religions that would gradually provide the respect and understanding and even love that is required to avoid the temptation of over-defensiveness, criticism and violence. … [They should] give a strong witness of nonviolence, of understanding, acceptance, appreciation and friendship to other religions. The fact that the Incarnation took place means that Christ is in relationship to every human being. …

“What religions should do above all is to recover their contemplative dimension and to present it in ways that are accessible to different kinds of people so that everybody has some opportunity … to move into more intuitive and direct practices for a personal relationship with God.”
- Thomas Keating, God Is Love: The Heart of All Creation

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• Prayerfully re-read these passages again in the manner of Lectio Divina, reading them aloud to engage more of your senses and feel the vibrations in your body. Gaze at the image. What do you receive for your journey now?

• Watch the 25-minute video, “What I’ve Learned from Interreligious Dialogue.” Thomas Keating shares his journey with interreligious dialogue, which began at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Massachusetts and flowered into the Snowmass Conferences in Colorado, a series of annual gatherings where spiritual leaders from various traditions convened to share their experiences and understandings of the Ultimate Reality underlying various faiths and spiritual practices. Fr. Thomas also addresses how one can remain faithful to one’s tradition while engaging in interspiritual dialogue, emphasizing that no one religion can contain the totality of divine wisdom.

• Read Keith Kristich’s article, “A Borderless Practice: The Interspiritual Invitation of Centering Prayer.” Kristich, who has a background in evangelical Christianity, explores how the silence and non-conceptual nature of Centering Prayer facilitates a “deep unity that transcends the mental images and understandings of God that so often divide us.”

• At the end of the day, when you say good night to Spirit, consider this aspect of your day: Whom did you notice or listen to who holds a different interpretation of how to live God/Love. How did your heart feel in that encounter; how did your ability to embrace Love in all forms expand?

• You may listen to the audio recording of today’s reflection here (about 14 minutes long).

• Please share your reflections and comments below. Post prayer requests here. By clicking on the Subscribe link, you can receive email notifications when someone posts a prayer request.

• The latest issue of the CO NEWS newsletter is now available here.
  

There are three live Word of the Week prayer groups meeting weekly to support your journey. Each prayer group has a slightly different reflection excerpt, therefore some participants attend more than one. You can use this time zone converter to assist in calculating the prayer groups in your local time.

• Tuesday, 9:00-10:00 AM Eastern (New York) Time (UTC/GMT offset -5 hours)

• Wednesday, 6:00-7:00 PM Eastern (New York) Time (UTC/GMT offset -5 hours)

For these two groups, use this link to join OR click-on “join meeting,” and enter meeting ID 445 909 4698. When prompted for a passcode, use COL.

• Thursday, 8:00-9:00 AM Eastern (New York) Time (UTC/GMT offset -5 hours). This groups meets on Meditation Chapel in the Wisdom Chapel. Use this link to join the group. Be sure to register with Meditation Chapel here if you are not already.

Additional opportunities to support your silent prayer practice and spiritual journey are offered in The Meditation Chapel, a Zoom-enabled, worldwide meditation community. All groups are free and open to all. Read more about groups on The Meditation Chapel here.