Sermon – O Woman, Great Is Your Faith! (Matthew 15:21–28) – August 16, 2026

Today, the Word of God gives us a very important and timely message: God excludes no one. Our Lord came for everyone, and His house should be a house of prayer for all peoples.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah declares that even strangers who turn to the Lord, love Him, and want to walk in His way will be accepted.

The Lord says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

These words prepare us for the biblical event. Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon. There, a Canaanite woman approaches him.

This woman is not from the people of Israel; she is a foreigner. In the eyes of the people, she is an outsider. But she approaches Jesus and begs for mercy.

"Lord, help me!" What a short, yet powerful prayer!

In the Bible, we see that Jesus did not immediately respond to this woman. In fact, his disciples wanted her to be sent away. But the woman did not give up. She continued to insist.

Herein lies a crucial lesson for our lives: God does not despise humble and persistent prayer.

The Canaanite woman doesn't come before Jesus with a claim of entitlement. She doesn't say, "You have to give this to me." She knows who Jesus is and accepts her own helplessness.

When Jesus told her, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” the woman’s reply was filled with extraordinary humility: “That’s true, Lord; but even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners’ table.”

This woman isn't arguing with Jesus. She's not offended. She's not sulking. She doesn't stop praying.

He humbly seeks refuge in the Lord's mercy.

And Jesus praises his faith:

O woman, your faith is great! May it be as you wish.

My brothers and sisters, one of the greatest messages this Bible gives us today is this:

Humility does not diminish our prayer; on the contrary, it opens our hearts to God's grace.

Sometimes, when we pray, we want to tell God what to do. We pray, but we also want to determine how, when, and in what way the answer should come.

When God doesn't act the way we want, we think, "He didn't hear me."

True prayer, however, is not about trying to make God act according to our wishes.

True prayer is this: “Lord, You know my needs better than I do. I trust in You.”

The Canaanite woman is teaching us this.

"Lord, I need you."

“Lord, I cannot do this alone.”

“Lord, I have very little faith, but I trust in your mercy.”

And Jesus praises precisely this kind of faith.

Today's first reading and the Bible remind us of another great truth: Jesus came for everyone.

No human being is exempt from God's mercy.

A person's origin, past actions, social standing, or the opinions of others cannot limit their love for God.

The Canaanite woman was a stranger; but she did not remain a stranger before Jesus. Jesus saw her faith and had mercy on her.

This is also a calling for us Christians. If Jesus came for everyone, then the Church should be a home open to everyone.

No one should feel like a stranger in the house of God.

Therefore, we should ask ourselves this question: Who am I excluding?

Whom do I judge because of their past? Whom do I think is far from God?

Who am I having difficulty accepting?

Today's Bible calls on us to look at these people through the eyes of Jesus.

Perhaps there are people among us who have been praying for a long time and have not yet received an answer.

Someone praying for a child… Someone praying for their family… Someone in sickness or distress…

Someone who prays for a loved one to return to faith… Someone who carries an unresolved problem in their life…

Perhaps some are simply tired of praying.

Look at the Canaanite woman today.

He asked. He didn't get an immediate answer. He asked again. He faced difficulties. But he didn't give up.

Because his prayer stemmed not from pride, but from humility and faith.

Sometimes, the reason God doesn't answer immediately isn't because He's abandoning us. Perhaps He is strengthening and deepening our faith.

True prayer first changes the heart of the person praying.

Therefore, when we come before the Lord, we don't need to act like all-knowing and all-powerful people.

We can come as Canaanite women:

"Lord, help me!"

"Lord, I cannot do this alone."

“Lord, I have only a tiny bit of faith, but I trust in your mercy.”

Jesus shows us that even a small amount of faith combined with humility can accomplish great things.

Therefore, let us ask our Lord today for the faith of the Canaanite woman: a faith of humility, patience, persistence, and confidence.

Let us never consider ourselves too sinful or unworthy to draw near to Jesus.

And let us not consider any human being so distant as to be unworthy of God's love.

Because Jesus came for everyone.

Let our prayer not be one that tries to make God submit to our will, but one in which we surrender ourselves into His hands.

Lord, let it be Your will, not my will.

Holy Mary, humble servant of the Lord, teach us to trust, to be patient, and to always submit to God's will.

Let us also say with him, “Lord, let it be as you have said to me.”

Let us pray for this blessing today.