In today's Gospel, at first Jesus does not answer the Canaanite woman. Then he tells her that he has come only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Finally he says: "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to dogs." Wow! That is a harsh reply spoken by Jesus ? so uncharacteristic of Jesus. Usually Jesus is the one challenging the status quo. What gives here? By all accounts, this is an unusual Scriptural event. Does Jesus really intend to shun her? What was he trying to teach his disciples who clearly want her out of the picture? Does this sound like the Jesus who said: "Come to me all who labor are burdened and I will give you rest." For me, the take-home message is twofold: First, this is a wonderful story of faith. This Canaanite woman is driven by faith from beginning to end. Remember, she is not fighting for herself; she is fighting for the life of her daughter. She is a woman; she is a Gentile; and she is a mother who would not be denied. The power of her faith makes her willing to risk insult, encourages her boldness, gives her a sense of empowerment, and ultimately brings about the transformation she seeks. Her faith gives her this incredible boldness in the presence of the disciples and in the presence of Jesus. Does your faith, does my faith give me this kind of confidence in the healing Lord? Second messasge? Everyone belongs! Reflecting on the disciples' encounter with the Canaanite woman, who do we attempt to exclude from God?s presence today? Let's face it: the inclusive work of the Church is hard work, and it goes against the way the world is organized, the way our worldly hearts want to behave. The Canaaanite woman becomes a sign of the Gospel universality. Today?s Gospel story is about an expanding circle of grace. That circle had to be learned by the early Church and by ourselves as well. Jesus encounters deep faith and love in religious outsiders like the Canaanite woman or the Roman centurion, but also in religious outcasts within Israel - lepers, sinners and the poor who neither know nor keep the Law. The Gospel challenge for us today is to ask ourselves do we withhold love for people we decide are outside of God?s grace because they are different from us. Our place at God?s table may put us next to someone we never thought would be as cherished by God as we ourselves want to be. With this comes the challenge to love them as God loves them.