Thursday, August 14, 2008

Today’s text

Matthew 14:21-28

Jesus left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And suddenly out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, 'Lord, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.' But he said not a word in answer to her. And his disciples went and pleaded with him, saying, 'Give her what she wants, because she keeps shouting after us.' He said in reply, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.' But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. 'Lord,' she said, 'help me.' He replied, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.' She retorted, 'Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.' And from that moment her daughter was well again.

Prayer

But not everyone’s desire is granted, Jesus. Many cry to you in the heat of the hell they live. They seek any the least drop of water to cool the torment of souls that know no peace. Even now I name two souls before you in the dark silence of my heart.

But their darkness is deeper still. They grieve, again, new life delivered silent into this world, a life that could have been but which lays still and breathless. She lays there, a little girl who will never know her mother’s soft cheek, her father’s protective embrace. Her parents will never watch her dark hair bounce in the sunlight as she runs across a playground.

How many times must they go through this? How long, O Lord, must they suffer and mourn? How long before their love embraces the new life you allow men and women to make from their love? How long before their hearts can hope and sing again?

I do not understand this. Why should those who abuse children, your little ones, be allowed to have them, and these two cannot, though love is their nature?

All we have are questions, pain, disappointment and the frustration of seeing you heal a child in response to her mother’s pleas. But we pled; many pled for the life of this one now lost. But there was no answer, or none we wanted.

What are we to do? Where are we to go? There is no one but you who can console the hearts of those who mourn, and there is no one who can hold this tiny, lifeless child in the arms of eternity’s grace. No one, but you.

So hold this child, Jesus, and hold us, too. Surround these parents with the comfort of a love that will not quit. For we will not stop insisting; we will not be turned away unsatisfied. Be for us the love you are. Make that love happen, here, now.

Pr. David L. Miller