After spending time with the Jews, Jesus goes into Gentile country, the district of Tyre. His interaction with a Gentile woman teaches us about prayer.
Though he comes into a Gentile territory, he has his disciples keep their mouths shut about his coming. Pseudo-Augustine writes that this is so that others might come and seek Him. Our Lord recognizes the value of a search. So we must turn our hearts toward Christ and seek Him in prayer throughout our day. Our needs (for truth, for happiness, for justice, for love) should impel us seek his face. "'Come,' says my heart, "seek God's face"' (Ps 27:8a). To seek God's face is to commune with God.
Sometimes we will meet with adversity, as the woman met with "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." Here we need to take a lesson from her perseverance for the times we meet with spiritual dryness, with situations that seem impossible, or when the words of the Gospel seem to convict us. She did not become discouraged at Jesus' words, but more creative. "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
What humble confidence! She willingly places herself in the position of a dog, so long as she gets to sit beneath the Master's table. And for her great faith her daughter was exorcised. If we wish our lives to be in good order to and to obtain our needs from God, (and our need is for God himself,) we must ask with humble confidence. We must even acknowledge our sinfulness, which increases our need for Him. We might also allow his word to penetrate us and become part of our prayer, as did the woman. One way to do this is through Lectio Divina where one 1. reads a Bible passage, 2. reflects in meditation, 3. responds in prayer, and 4. rests in contemplation.
Lord, we come to you in prayer with all our desire which is itself a prayer when inspired by the Holy Spirit. We come to you, sinners as we are, in many ways, through the Eucharist, through Lectio, through Christian witnesses, etc. Please remember us in our need for You. We simply beg you to provide for us and put our lives and concrete actions in order with your grace.
Mary, refuge of sinners, make us worthy of the loving gaze of God, take away all barriers between our heart and His. We are poor sinners, but we have you for a powerful intercessor. Speak to Christ with your humility and obtain from Him all the necessary graces we need for our lives to be good lives in His sight.
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