Today, 14 February 2016, the Romanian Orthodox Church is on the 17th Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel text from Matthew 15:21-28 was read in all the places of worship:
“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.”
On this day, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest, by His Eminence Varsanufie, Archbishop of Râmnic, assisted by a group of priests and deacons.
After Gospel reading, His Eminence delivered a sermon in which he emphasised the spiritual teaching expressed in the Gospel of the Canaanite Woman.
“The faith of this ordinary and grieved woman, the suffering that generated another suffering is for all of us, who live these days, a perfect example of firmness in faith, of humbleness in front of God. This woman was not disappointed by the words of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, by the fact that Christ, the Lord, did not answer her and neither because He reminded her that she came from a nation that was alienated so much from the faith in God. The faith proved through her humbleness and firmness when she prayed God to heal her daughter urges us too to confess our faith as this woman did, to call God to help us and not be disappointed when He does not hear our prayers right away”, His Eminence Archbishop Varsanufie said.
