Scripture Reflection – Parish Transnational Celebration Sunday (19-20th of August)

Our Gospel this weekend is the confrontation by a Canaanite woman and Jesus and his disciples. The Canaanite woman’s daughter is all and she has come to Jesus for a miracle shouting, “Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.” The disciples find this embarrassing and try to get Jesus to fob her off. But Jesus calls her over and seems to treat her with distain. Eventually, with some quick thinking the woman makes her point and Jesus rewards her persistent faith in him.

There are two miracles here. One for the daughter who is sick and the other is for Jesus inclusive treatment of the women herself. The Jews viewed the Canaanites as they did the Samaritians, as the lowest of the low.

Inclusion, or the right to it, is not a recent issue. Exclusion was very much alive at the time of Jesus. As stated above the Jews viewed the Canaanites, like the Samaritans, as the lowest of the low. They were excluded from Temple worship and Synagogue services. Australia’s own history has been infected by the exclusion of our indigenous brothers and sisters. We are still debating constitutional recognition. Why can’t we just grow up and use some common sense!

If we are to grow as a nation we must recognise and appreciate that our population is going to continually grow and be culturally diverse. This diversity will inform the way we understand what it means to be an Australian. Multiculturalism is more than passive toleration of diversity. It is the active embrace and appreciation of diverse cultures as a source of social wealth and integral interaction. And this leads on to equality of opportunity so that everyone can participate in benefit from our nation’s Common Good.

Our aspirations for the future will come from the seed bed of an inclusive understanding and appreciation of our multi-layered cultural diversity. This might take another miracle and if it needs to be a miracle we must pray for it daily.