"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour. Matthew 15:28
I recently saw the remake of the Disney movie, Aladdin. If you don't know the story, a young man finds a magic lamp and rubs it. The genie appears and grants him 3 wishes and 3 only. He has to be careful on what he wishes for because once he's out of wishes, there are no more. In today's gospel from Saint Matthew, Jesus and his followers encounter a woman whose daughter is possessed by demons. She'll do anything to relieve her suffering. She cries out to the point that the disciples are annoyed with her. She is persistent in her petition and he recognizes this. He heals the daughter. This is a difficult scripture for me. All of us believe we have strong faith. There are many faith-filled parents whose children suffer and wish healing. They would do anything, even give their own life for bringing healing to their child. Yet, unlike in the story, it doesn't always have a happy ending. A wish is different that hope. Hope is knowing that the end will come. A wish doesn't have the same end. We have hope that Jesus will return in glory. We know he's coming. Wishes can border on superstition. Let us keep faith and hope in our Lord that his will be done, not ours.
Question for Reflection
What daily habits should I incorporate into my life to grow in faith and hope?
Lord may your will, not mine, always be done! Give me the wisdom to understand.
