“Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall”

Saint Augustine once said, “The continued sighs of a desiring and longing heart are sweet music unto Christ”. [1] Our desire to be forever united with Jesus. We stay united with Jesus here on earth through prayer and the Sacraments. Like the mother in the gospel, we must make sweet music to our Lord by our persistent prayer life.
 
What is persistence? Persistence is the firm constant course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Christian persistence comes from the gift of Fortitude. Fortitude is the virtue to carry on the tasks of God to a successful conclusion even if the task is difficult.[2]
 
How does the Canaanite woman show persistence in her prayer? The woman is clear, patient, honest, and true with her prayer “Lord, help me.” “She expresses her need in clear, simple words; she persists, undismayed by obstacles; and she expresses her request in all humility…Our prayer should have the same qualities of faith, trust, perseverance and humility.” [3]
 
The Canaanite woman shows us the lengths she will go for her family. “The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer…For young children in particular, daily family prayer is the first witness of the Church’s living memory as awakened patiently by the Holy Spirit.” [4] We must remember the Canaanite woman was petitioning a prayer to Jesus in order to cure her daughter. She shows her daughter what it means to have great faith in prayer to the Father.
 
What can we learn from this story and our prayer life? “Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us filial boldness: ‘Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will.’ Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: ‘all things are possible to him who believes.’ Jesus is as saddened by the ‘lack of faith’ of his own neighbors and the ‘little faith’ of his own disciples as he is struck with admiration at the great faith of the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman.” [5] Our Lord is telling us that prayer and faith go together. Lex orandi Lex credendi, means the Law of Prayer is the Law of Faith, in others words as we pray so shall we believe.
 
Why does God want us to be persistent? God wants us to be persistent in our prayer because He wants us to know what our truest desire should be, which is Him. For God already knows the desires of our heart, but we do not always know the desires of our own heart. Through prayer, the depths of our hearts are revealed. “God listens in a special way to the prayer of those who know how to love, even though at times it may appear that He is deaf to the entreaty. He wants our faith to become more strong, our hope to become more profound, our love to become more trusting. He wants everyone to have the desire and the humility that a good mother has.” [6] Saint Augustine described prayer as the stretching of one’s heart. With each prayer our hearts are stretched a bit more and thus capable of being filled with more grace.
 
Why does Jesus seem to be “harsh” to the woman? Jesus knows that the woman desires the healing of her daughter. The woman shows that her prayer is not just about her daughter but rather an expression of her deep trust and faith in Jesus Christ. “By appearing to be harsh he so strengthens the woman’s faith that she deserves exceptional praise: ‘Great is your faith!’ Our own conversation with Christ should be like that: ‘Persevere in prayer. Persevere, even when your efforts seem barren. Prayer is always fruitful’” [7]
 
If God does not change His mind why should we keep praying with persistence? Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that it is true that we cannot change God’s mind or His Divine Will, however God has set aside a great treasures for us, and all we have to do is ask! [8] Let us never loose heart and asking anything from God. It is true that God’s will is unchanging, for it is perfect and cannot change; our will however is flighty changing from day to day. Prayer helps us to change our mind or rather conform our mind and heart to the Holy Will of God.
 
What if we pray and pray but nothing happens? What goes alongside persistence is patience. We must remain patient to what God has desired for us. Just because he did not grant our prayer does not mean He did not hear us. “Whether or not we receive that for which we ask, let us ever persevere in prayer; if we receive, we are thankful; if are we refused, we remain patient. For if God refuses anything, it is the same as if He had granted us something. For we know not what is for our benefit, God only knows.” [9] The woman in today’s Gospel is a witness to the fact that something always happens when we pray. Prayer is a deep expression of trust and faith. Had the woman not been granted her request, she still would have expressed her faith in Jesus.
 
Discussion Question
Discuss a time when you prayed for something, it didn’t happen, but you were thankful later on that it didn’t happen the way you wanted it.
Discussion a time where your persistence and patience in prayer paid off and God fulfilled your prayer in His timing? 

[1] Fr. Goffine, The Church’s Year pg. 139
[2] cf. Hardon, Catholic Catechism pg. 204
[3] Navarre Bible, pg. 116
[4] CCC 2685
[5] CCC 2610
[6] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 4.1, pg. 391
[7] Navarre Bible, pg. 116
[8] cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, 2-2, q 83, a 2
[9] Fr. Goffine, The Church’s Year pg. 139