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Dear friends,

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This weekend, our liturgy invites us to open our hearts deeply to God’s grace and transformative love.

 

In our Gospel reading, we hear an account of Jesus's mysterious encounter with a Canaanite woman. The story heightens the surprise and shock as we hear Jesus' response to the woman, words that sound offensive to our ears. The woman, who is not Jewish, approaches Jesus, requesting that he heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first Jesus ignores her, saying nothing. The disciples ask Jesus to send her away, to which Jesus agrees, remarking that he was sent to minister to the Jews alone. But the woman persists, paying homage to the Lord. Jesus denies her request yet again referring to her as a "dog", a Jewish word of derision used for Gentiles. Yet the Canaanite woman does not get discouraged - she cleverly turns Jesus' address into an affirmation of faith. Now, Jesus commends her for her great faith, granting her request. 

 

Friends, the faith of the Canaanite woman is an affirmation of her confidence in God’s abundant mercy and a reminder for us that even though salvation comes through Israel, it overflows for the benefit of all nations. We are all beneficiaries of that salvation today. The story of the Canaanite woman should trigger in us a response of deeper faith and trust in God. May our moments of struggles never discourage us from faith and reliance on the Lord. 

 

As we worship together, we must also confront the painful realities within our Church history. We ask you to join us in fervent prayer for the healing of all survivors of the abuse scandal. We carry their pain in our hearts and pray that God’s comfort, justice, and peace bring restoration to their lives.

 

We want to firmly assure you of our unwavering commitment to providing a safe, transparent, and nurturing environment for everyone in our parish community—especially our children, youth and vulnerable adults. Through strict safe-environment protocols, continuous volunteer screening, and mandatory training, we work daily to ensure our pastorate remains a place of absolute safety and trust. 

 

Thank you for your continued faith, vigilance, and prayers as we journey together in healing and faith.

 

In Christ,

Fr. Francis