On the Canaanite Woman

Again, of the same, of the holy Mar Jacob, a memrā. 47. On the Canaanite Woman. A great light shone forth in the land in the days of our Lord. He dispelled the darkness that had covered the world in its place; he cut down the growth of the father of error; his radiance shone upon the lower ones. That the straight path might be traversed by those who go astray in it, the sun of righteousness descended and walked in the land. And by his beauty, the shadows of many were scattered. He spread his rays over the regions and made the sick rejoice. And the world shone, which had been dark until then. He pursued the errors of many peoples, and showed the world the way of life, that they might walk in it. He placed healings upon the sickness that had been chronic, and the pains of the afflicted, which were many, were stilled. His medicine flowed upon diseases and strengthened the weak. And in afflictions, he breathed life into the feeble and stilled them. He poured out his gift upon the world, enriching it with his helps. He opened his treasures, and all who were needy took from him and were enriched. The blind saw, and the paralyzed were healed. The possessed and the bent were straightened. He gave hearing to the deaf and light to the blind. He cleansed lepers and gave forgiveness to sinners. He descended like rain upon the land of Judah, which had been barren, and like roots, the sick were healed from their couches.

the demons that had ruled over humanity were driven out. And by the breath of his mouth he silenced the clamors of many. The cup of sorcery, while it oppressed him, was not troubled. He bore pains and groaned at their entreaties. His help was with the people when his healing was powerful. And when his aids were many, he was magnified. The uncircumcised peoples believed in him and in his aids. And the circumcised people were divided over his salvation. The Canaanite woman—grace sufficed for her to believe in him. But for the daughter of the people, not even the wise writings could persuade her. To Tyre and Sidon the grace of the Son of God hastened, and it was proclaimed that the son of Joseph was from Jerusalem. In the land of the pagans, as he passed with his disciples, her faith in the Canaanite woman was proclaimed. He crossed the border of Tyre and Sidon and was revealed there. And the gods of vanity began to totter. He terrified that darkness of denial, and began to spread his light in the world over the lands. The leaven of life fell and settled in the dough of the pagans, and began to leaven the creation with its sweetness. He crossed the borders of the Canaanites, a sower of truth, and cast his seed, and began to reap the rock from it. Warmly the peoples received the good seed, and quickly brought forth fruits in abundance.

In that one, the demon had possessed her daughter and was tormenting her. Faith was being sung among all the peoples. The evil demon had seized the young woman so that she might be possessed by it. Every day it wanted to destroy the beautiful ones. The son of the sorceress, who was a slayer of men, was burning her. And with his sorcery, he was tormenting her bitterly. He was eager to destroy the virgin whom he was corrupting. For he greatly desired, in the guise of a man, to lead her astray. Against the pious one and the daughter of sinners, through her son. And with deceits, he was dragging her bitterly. The whole earth was stirred up in her secretly. And she was not like her firstborn and her health. Even the earth left its path and changed and became dark. And according to his will, he dragged her mind and increased her pains. He filled her with madness and introduced and placed in her the worship of idols. He set in her the falsehood that every day she should serve vanity. The evil demon dragged her mind to the earth with all his error, until the great deliverer came and drove him out of her. The mother of grace came to the earth and was reconciling, like the one who had tormented her daughter with a loud voice. My Lord, when he saw the oppressed earth, how it was groaning thus, he descended to save her from the error of the many in her. From grace, there was reconciliation here before the multitude. And the physician of mercies was sent to the sick.

The mighty one and the pious one bound him with his strength. And her cry went forth: that the land of the Canaanites resounded with outcry. He was walking in the world, and the good physician was healing him. And to all the pains that encountered him, he gave health. And as he was passing through the land of the pagans, as it is said: The Canaanite woman, her virtues drew her to come to him. She saw that a demon was tormenting her daughter and afflicting her. And after Jesus she ran, to weep that she might seek from him. She heard the virtue that he, the judge of the world, was passing by. And over the region of Sidon, she passed, for she was a pagan. The doer of justice and righteousness was passing through her region. And she went out to receive upon the path that had snatched her daughter. The mighty one to the border of the Phoenicians, and she cried: Before him, a host came and took her daughter. The exorcist and driver out of demons was walking in her region. And she was taught that to that demon of her daughter he would drive it out. The good shepherd had gone out to seek the lost ones. And she was inquiring of him that for one he had healed, a wolf had snatched her. He came to the border of Tyre and Sidon, as it is heard. And the Canaanite woman went out after him to seek from him. Her ears were filled with the woman full of might: that Jesus had passed by, and she was eager to be healed by him. She began to cry out among the crowds and to entreat him: "My Lord, son of David, have mercy on me, for I am in distress.

My daughter is wickedly led by Satan. And this request of yours, if you wish, you may take. He sought mercy for the child, and behold, he is crushing her. Remove her from him, and in health she will be yours. The beautiful maiden whom the son of David begot, behold, he is defiling her. Cry out against him, and the sound of his harp will be silenced. With harsh voices she went forth after him, filling the air. And with entreaties she was appeasing him for the sake of her daughter. O Lord, son of David, have mercy on me and heal my daughter. A demon has possessed her, and unless you crush her, he will not release her. From the daughter: the sinners of the son of David were confessing. And among the people, the head of the demons they were calling him. To the Canaanites, that Jesus was the true one. And to the Hebrews, he became a stumbling block, and they did not believe in him. The sinners perceived that he was the good physician and the expeller of demons. And the priests of the people, that he was the good physician and the expeller of demons. And the priests of the people, with Beelzebub, the magician of the sorcerer, they went. The daughter of the Arameans sang: with the lyres of the son of David. And to the Jews, by her account, how much he had wronged them. The new gospel was being interpreted in Canaanite. And the daughter of the people was being portrayed in the wilderness. The scribes wrote the revelations of the wilderness. And the idolaters were the first to be in the preaching.

The sinner knew that he was the son of David, and the demons drive [her] away. And the faith of the Canaanite woman was troubled, while she was healing her. The pagan woman cried out among the stones, raising her voice: "Let the faith of the peoples show how great it is!" The nation of sinners mocked the idols of vanity. And the worship of demons was not appeased except by Jesus. She appealed to the king against the rebellious one who had increased her affliction, that he might be able to bind the pious one with his power. She did not run toward the gods of the pagans, for she knew that Jesus would destroy their temples. She was a shield for the faith without division, while she cried out, "The son of David, have mercy on me!" That rebellious one of evil deeds cast an army, and left my daughter; come, turn her from the afflictions. The demon disturbs the beautiful ones; he has split the idle woman, and leads her to err. Command him to be silent from the lamentation. The driver who rages against the race of man, behold, from Adam: he has maddened my daughter so that she might lose the hope of the Messiah. The king of the region, drive the foreigner from your dominion. The son of David, come, judge and kill them like Goliath. Do not be silent: the foreskin is on my daughter, and mock her. Remove her from him, and she will be yours when you have saved her. David your father saved the Canaanite woman, and he became king, and he made the favor of the Philistine pass from the camp.

Also that David, because of the word of the bear, had killed it. In vain he sought his help, without success. In vain, my Lord, for your flock you are better than David. Command the demon to release the girl whom he has possessed. The Canaanite woman’s compassion was stirred after Jesus. And with entreaty she was appeasing him, and he did not heed her. He knew the woman was unshaken concerning the truth. While she was crying out, he was mocking her, that she might be put to shame. While he was pitying her, he was silent toward her, so that her desire would not be fulfilled. By her vehemence, her faith would increase greatly. The voice of love of the believer was pleasing to him. And he allowed her to cry out among the stones that he was the son of David. He did not stop her immediately, lest she desist from the beginning. He mocked her that she might add to the victories of her faith. He renewed and passed by like a silent one, he was silent toward her, to show that true love is unshaken. And when with her loud voice she disturbed the apostles, they drew near to our Lord to appease him on her behalf. Because of her clamor, she had troubled the whole crowd. They were appeasing him to release her quietly from behind them. And that here she might add beauty to the image of her faith. Again he mocked her before the disciples and her entreaty. After the sheep of the house of Israel, the father sent them. And now it is right that I should seek and find the apostles.

seized. From the saved sheep of the house of Abraham I went out to seek. And in all my afflictions I desire to be a shepherd. I was not sent except after the sheep of the flock. Like a man, all the peoples said, "You have found me." Immediately, when the peoples perceived that I had come, they said, "You come." For the sheep of the people I went out to seek, that they might not seek me. "You have saved me," said the peoples who came to repentance. After the people I went out now, for the voice was harsh. The calling of the peoples is easy, for they are commanded much. The people who are oppressed in him, I am weary, lest he perish. It is a small sign: the peoples seek, "You come." In the people there is a weariness that greatly disturbs from the grave. I was not sent except after the sheep of Jacob. For him I desire, because the flock is from sorrow. Our Lord did not give a cause to the people who were angry with him. In all his hope, as to a sick man, he was not helped. For the faith of the peoples he is zealous, while he loves her. And it was not a small blow; it was from her meaning. For the Canaanite woman, her order, that she might remain while her voice was raised. And her faith was strong; it was not ordered. She pressed the cause between the stones and appeased him. "My Lord, help me, for I am oppressed in your help." He said to her, "It is not proper to take bread that belongs to the dogs and throw it to the dogs, while they are not worthy.

They eat before the heirs and drink from the table. And dogs are fed from him without affection. Leave the dogs and the children, they receive the leftovers. The sons eat not the wild beasts that trample the bread. She says to him, "My Lord, the dogs eat and drink from the remnants that belong to the sons, and they live with them. For from where can a dog eat or be fed, if the bread of the sons of its masters does not sustain it?" They give and drink the heirs to the dogs that are with them, and they live. For the little one, only its master sustains it. The master feeds the wild beasts and the animals, and with the hired heirs and the dogs, he sustains and rejoices. The sons eat from the table like heirs, and the dogs gather from the remnants like little ones. The sons and the dogs live from the bread of the father. All of them eat from his own table and drink. Also the remnants that the dogs eat, they eat bread and drink. One leaven sustains the dogs and also the sons. The son, like a handsome heir, eats from the table, and the remnant of his bread the dog gathers that lives with him. He does not hinder the dogs from eating from the remnants. There is in the house also the sons and the little one. There is for you, my Lord, to sustain the dogs and also the sons. From you the peoples and your own people are sated and drink.

Your table is full for the insiders and the outsiders; you have satisfied all, both the far and the near. You are able to provide also for the beggars and for the hired laborers. From the crumbs dogs eat, and with them they drink. There is in your treasury wealth for the people from your deposits, and the needy peoples also support themselves from your abundance. You are a great sea, and all peoples drink from you; they take only a little from your divine fount. You are the bread of life; the ranks and thousands are satisfied from you, peoples and a multitude of troops and hosts, and you are not diminished. You are a good physician, and all the sick are healed by you; and the little ones of your power, thousands, are anointed and become strong. You are able to expel the demons from the people and to heal the pains, and the infirmities of all peoples are cured in you. The treasure of your power revives the dead if you wish, for your treasury has no lack from its deposits. From the crumbs of your healing, my Lord, give to my daughter, and through them she will live and become truly yours. I have descended to your sign, and at your command the demons flee; you desire, and like a fire the pains are extinguished. By the breath of your mouth, if you command, the demons are slain. You are a great treasure, and all the sick are found in you.

Your bread is not too little for a single people; it suffices for one alone. All the peoples eat from it, and again it is sufficient. Your medicines are not too few, O physician, for the sick; with one people you heal pains, and with another not. There is nothing that exhausts your wealth or diminishes it. It is a great need, and the more you draw from it, the more it increases. Give bread to your people to be satisfied, like sons; and from it cast crumbs to the peoples, like dogs. Do not begrudge your sick for your people; I came to beg for you. It is possible that you give to me and to him and to many. Does the king exhaust your wealth or diminish it? For the treasure of your storehouses is great in strength from all peoples. Does the great sea, full of good things, cause you to tremble? For the waves of your love are able to wash the whole world. The treasury of the hungry, does it empty you? For to all ends you have to give, and they are too little for you. One crumb from your sick, stretch out to my daughter; and from it she will be satisfied, so that she may gain strength and health. The faith of the peoples increased through the Canaanite woman; the taste of all of them was seasoned by her, behold, from then on. She begged and was rejected, and again she clung to her sick. Her covering, that she might forget, and she was crying out over her pains.

Sufferings press upon her, and she did not cease from her petition. The disciples were disturbed, and she did not desist from following them. She was also counted among dogs, shamelessly. And again she was pressing like a creditor upon the petition without shame. She was convinced that her thought was not set upon human beings. And she did not consent to be silent and turn away from the Savior. In a childish manner she was crying out and calling him "dog," and she did not consider it shameful to turn away from him who was true. The apostles rebuked her, but they were not able to silence her. Her voice and her own cry covered over all the suffering. When she was being reviled and when she was being hidden from the many, she contended against every sickness and conquered it shamelessly. When sufferings press upon her, she speaks gently; to all the foolish, when she is being rebuked, with a loud voice. Even her youth was filling her with blessedness, and from it she took strength to conquer the adversities. From her nature she sought something that would conquer for her, and with it she was contending against our Lord distinctly. Her boldness was her zeal that her faith might enter, and from her clamor even her distinction was increased. By that which she was counted even among dogs and would not eat, by that she contended that it was owed to her that she also should be satisfied. Even the dogs, if they do not eat, they go from the crumbs. She cried out for victory from within the pit of guilt.

In truth she showed that she was worthy of mercy. She sought justice, to receive what was due to her. The Lord was obligated to feed her and the dogs again. And when the dogs multiplied, the Lord gave life to the dogs. In the story that was written about her, she was found guilty. In it her foot was found standing upon victory. When truth bound her with its words, she was to be condemned. From that story she won in the contest of the paragraphs. Even the dogs from the crumbs take life. Truth conquered her, that she was worthy to receive as well. Like a creditor demanding his debt, she sought to receive from him. And she showed that she too was worthy to be given mercy. The receiver was to be a dog when the Lord would feed your own from the crumbs that are abundant for you. Eat, then, dogs, and be sated from the crumbs. Upon you, Lord, to give life to the orphan and the poor. The dog does not give life to itself except its master. From the crumbs it eats, and it lives with them. If there is a dog, then you, Lord, are the one from whom all my life is given to me alone. Love that does not change nor grow weary: every time love speaks, its own is received. For the Canaanite woman, love drove her toward the Savior. And because of this, even her request was received.

He turned nothing back upon him while he was teaching. But this one was full of love and faith. He bound the scribes of the people and the judges with his words. And when the love of saying with him arose, he rejoiced. For the woman, love was clothed there in the generation and went up to hunt the Lord. The proof that he who is able conquers even the weak. Against the Lord of the worlds, love turned complete. In the prostration that she said, "I did not say 'bread'." She did not taste bread, nor did the dogs eat bread. She did not submit to him, that it was not proper for the dogs to eat. And he submitted to her while he was increasing her faith. See that he was troubled in the fire of love and argued with him. And he accepted upon himself that the woman would conquer him by her turnings. It was not proper for the dogs to eat from the crumbs. She says, "Bread, my Lord, from the crumbs the dogs will eat." See that he was wise in her argument and compassionate and full of love. And while he rejoiced, he accepted that she would conquer and receive mercy. He marveled at her (that she had spoken from the obligation and its hunt). And before the priests he praised her: "Great is your faith." A great crown full of beauties the wise one wove. And for the sake of the priests he extended and placed for her faith. O you, woman, great is your faith. Henceforth, be for you as you wish, truly.

He saw her will, how near it was to the gate of the Church. And he set her up like the master of the house over all his treasure. "Let it be for you as you wish," he said to her. To her will he gave as much as she desired, that she might receive mercy. And she desired that the demon depart from her daughter entirely. For there was nothing else that was pressing in him. He gave her the love of everything she wished; it was for her. For he had, in every abundance, to honor him. Behold, a demonstration of the full agreement for the one who looks after her. But in love, no one draws near to God except through faith. Faith is able to overcome high obstacles, so that even demons do not stand before it when it is kindled. It roars at demons, and they flee from it to the abyss. In pains it turns and is comforted by it, all who are distressed. When the healing of our Lord came to her, he would increase it. For no one can see him except through her. Through faith, draw near to God and clothe yourself in him. And everything you desire, you have to receive if you love. In the humility of death, what kind of thing is shown to you? For it is a demonstration if you look at its beauties, you will find. You too have a soul that can pity, better than the daughter, for there is in her a pain that is worse than evil.

He was trampling the demon for her daughter, and she was distressed. "On your own soul sin presses; do not wonder at it." The pain of the soul is better than the evil demon of the daughter. She sought this, and behold, she was healed just as that one was. That Jesus who had healed her who called to him. And today he is the same, and he has what to give to those who are worthy of him. Your trampling, pain, trample them for the physician diligently. And as for the demon of that one, he drove him out easily. Pain, evil one, did not please you when he was anxious for you. Call to Jesus the physician, he will cast him out with his remedies. Receive against the evil one as that one received against the demon. And he will blow upon him, and he will flee from you as that one fled. Seek for your soul as much as she sought for her daughter. She is dear to you, for she is unique and singular. She is one soul for you; if sin takes her from you, come to Jesus; he will blow upon him for the subduer. Take the faith of the healing and her love for yourself. And Jesus will put the pains to flight by nights if he is stirred in you. And if he does not heal from you, you will not cease from him who is fitting for you. Your cry seeks; do not become weary from the petition. He is there where he heals and listens to the one who loves him. It is not that he heals, but that he strengthens his faith.

Her importunity opened his treasuries, and it was easy for her. And as much as she desired, pure wealth flowed from his storehouses. If the Canaanite woman had been silent when she was rebuked, not even the boldness of her faith would have been praised. Jesus rejoiced that the door of his treasure was knocked upon importunately. And if you do not find, he has something to give to your faith. The woman clung to his knees among the crowds with a loud voice, and when he rebuked her, she did not cease from her entreaty. And he did not hear that she might turn away from him when she did not receive. He clung to his knees with love and gave her her requests, and he was also silent. She argued with him and praised her for her victory, that love could accomplish that even when it was rebuked it was not ashamed. O mother, great is your faith! It was revealed to the crowds that importunity conquers every man and is imitated by her. Her importunity filled the river; take for yourself, O man, and by it you may meet sorrow if it enters you. When you ask, do not dispute about the giver. It is a great treasure that enriches from it all who ascend. It is the way by which a man runs and sees his father, and the door of life through which those who enter conquer death. It is the physician from whom remedies flow, also the spring that pours forth life upon its surroundings. By it demons and devils are driven from humanity. It heals pains and wounds of the afflicted.

In him are washed the lives of the soul, and light shines from him. In him are offered up the sins of the world, which were many. He justifies the publicans by the power of his preaching, and for complete sinners he makes forgiveness. He drove out the demon of the Canaanite woman by his command, and he extinguishes the pain of your soul if you take refuge in him. He bore the burden of the world by his might. Upon him all creatures lean, and in him they have their existence. He is the sun of righteousness and the great light. He is the physician and also the healer of all who are sick. He is wealth and the son of the rich and the enricher of all. He is the power that is not weak, and in him the weak are strengthened. He is the one who heals pains and diseases and drives out demons. Blessed is he who sent his hair to the world and healed its pains. The homily on the Canaanite woman is completed, of the holy Mar Jacob. Amen.