Today is the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel tells how Jesus accepted the Gentile woman. Jesus lived in a society in which the sense of being God’s chosen people built a strong barrier between the Jewish people and the rest of the world, the Gentile nations. Jesus’ own initial ministry was to the Jewish people, the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He has already fed five thousand Jews and twelve baskets full of crumbs were left over. The encounter with the Canaanite woman and with her faith shows that the barrier can be dissolved and the good news of the Kingdom extended to Gentiles as well as to Jews.
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of removing barriers. In today’s picture from their book, Signs and Symbols, Aled and Sian have been searching for the ancient castle, but now they find that the gate is firmly locked and the gardener does not hold the key.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you took away the barriers
between Jews and Gentiles.
Remove the barriers which divide our world,
that all people may live to praise your name;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Next Sunday is the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. The reading from Matthew’s Gospel tells of Peter’s confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi. The image to help prepare for this theme is rock. You can find out more about that theme by looking at the Educational Resources and the Preparation Resources.
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Tenth Sunday after Trinity – Exploring the Sunday Gospel