For reasons unclear in the context of the Gospel, Jesus seems to be leaving the territory of Israel and heading to the gentile districts of Tyre and Sidon. Coastal cities, they represent gentile cities in the Scriptures. At some point during the journey of some 30 miles, Jesus and his disciples are confronted by a Canaanite woman whose daughter is afflicted by demons. While this might seem to be a random event, this encounter is no coincidence. While Matthew emphasizes the primacy of the ministry of Jesus to the lost sheep of Israel, the fact remains that the ministry of the Church quickly expanded beyond the borders of the Holy Land and the Jewish people to include those of every race, language, ethnic group and national origin.

There are several examples in the Old Testament – perhaps the Syrian General Naaman being the most notable – of gentiles coming to Israel to seek the Lord. Intuitively drawn by the natural knowledge of the power of the God of Israel, they sought more than what their own religious practices could conceivably offer. Theirs is the quest for truth.

The encounter between Jesus and this anonymous woman provides a slightly different perspective. The prophets in the Old Testament did not go out of the country looking for gentiles, they typically worked with other members of the Jewish community. Here we see Jesus intentionally leaving the territory and heading to a gentile district. While Matthew isn’t clear exactly where the encounter takes place, we know that Jesus is heading toward the region of Tyre and Sidon. This woman also seems to be traveling a distance to find Jesus and they encounter each other along the way. There is no other account of Jesus moving toward those gentile cities at any time in his ministry. Jesus knows that this woman is seeking him, but we have no idea why she would even know to do that. Certainly his reputation has spread to her area, and it’s possible that she knows of him through Jewish neighbors who lived near her. Like many cities of the Roman world, Jews lived alongside gentiles and comfortably interacted with each other. However it happened, and even though Jesus seems to be dismissive of her at first, he must clearly have intended to encounter this woman.

This Canaanite woman’s story is a story of faith. She addresses Jesus in specific Jewish terms – “Son of David” – something which we do not hear often done by Jesus’s Jewish contemporaries. She has come to the realization that it is Jesus alone who can provide the relief and healing her daughter needs. Whether or not she fully knows what it means to call Jesus “Son of David,” her response in faith touches a cord with Jesus.

Yes, Jesus challenges her and this can seem to be a bit off-putting when first read. But Jesus – as he often does – draws her into persistence. Does she really believe enough to seek his assistance even when he seems to be holding back? Indeed, this woman has one of the best responses to Jesus in the Gospels – and she receives the healing she seeks.

Jesus also takes this opportunity to instruct his disciples and those around them. While his mission is first to the Jewish community, Jesus uses this encounter as a way to demonstrate the universal nature of his messianic mission. Even this gentile woman is valuable in the eyes of God and her faith in the power of God to release her daughter from the afflicting demon shows the power of Jesus against the power of the world. Through this miracle, Jesus also foreshadows the life and mission of the apostles as they embark on their own after the Resurrection.

Jesus went to find this Canaanite woman and meets her along the way. The barrier between Jews and gentiles has been breached and the foundations of the universal call to faith have been established. As the Lord sought out this woman, he seeks each of us as well – but are we persistent enough in faith to allow the Lord to work miracles for us when at first it might seem that we have received no for an answer?

Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.