The Second Sunday in Lent
for Legionaries and Their Friends
Second Lent Home
O Lord God, who sees that we have no power to help ourselves; Keep us safe in our bodies, and in our souls; and defend us from all bad things that may happen to us, and bad thoughts that may hurt us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read the St. Matthew xv. 21
Read the Homily
St. Matthew xv. 21.
From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit." Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy." Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel." Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me." He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs." She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table." Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well.
HOMILY
Grace and Peace be with you Legionaries!
The Gospel story you heard or read today is about faith and the love of a Mother for her little girl !
Jesus and his helpers had a really big job to do. They tried to help the people of Israel to hear the Good News. Jesus was healing the people who were sick, and he told them about God.
The Mother wasn't from Israel, but she came to Jesus anyway. Her little girl was really sick. She hoped Jesus could help her little girl.
Now at first, Jesus was so busy he didn't even answer her. But the Mother kept asking. Then Jesus told her that he could not help the little girl, because his Father in heaven had sent him to help the people of Israel.
But you know what? the Mother kept right on asking and begging for Jesus to help. She was really smart. It is what some people call wisdom. She agreed with Jesus, but then showed him how that even people who were not from Israel, could be healed by his grace and love.
Then Jesus was really happy for her. He told her that she had such a great big faith, that her wish had been granted. Her little girl was made better in that very hour.
Sometimes people give up too easy. They need to keep praying for the things they need to make sure God hears them. That is what the Mother did. God wants us to pray hard for the good things we need, and he wants us to have faith that he will give to us the things we really need, and will keep away from us from every bad thing.
- Can you draw a picutre that tells the Gospel story? Do so and then explain it to your friends.
- Wrtie or share a little story about a time that your mother or father took care of getting you some help, like taking you to a doctor.
- Can you think of a time when you were able to get a person to do something that you needed? Tell your friend how you did that and what happened.