08/17/2026
August 16, 2026 – Meditation
By Danny Fontaine
Jesus’ Ministry is for who exactly?
Oh my… Doesn’t Jesus seem rude?
What just happened?
In which role did you place yourself when you heard this narrative with the woman?
Were you in the role of the disciples?
Were you in the role of the woman?
Were you in the role of Jesus?
Or were you a simple observer of the situation?
Were you observing yourself while the Scripture was read?
Have you ever had someone ask you for money on the street and wondered if you should give some or not?
Twenty-five years ago, when I was preparing for my first missionary experience, I was introduced to a simple mission of presence in Quebec City. If I remember correctly, it was called Street Missionary. I was invited to join the people that used the food service for a meal then stayed with them while they waited for access to showers and beds. My role was to be present, sit with the men and listen if they wanted to connect and have a conversation with me.
I was in a learning process. I was not a minister or a religious representative. I was simply a student learning to be uncomfortable and listening more than talking.
I learned a lot about homelessness and the services available for those attending the Soup Kitchen that offered lunch and Lauberivière that offered supper and shelter for the night.
It marked me. I learned to be present, to listen and that anyone experiencing homelessness could get access to food and shelter. So now, after that year-long experience, when someone approached me on the street and asked for money, I would tell them about the services that were available to them. But it did not always work. Often, the people asking me for money were not being honest. They didn’t want food. They wanted the money to buy drugs, alcohol, to gamble, etc.
I realized that I would not be helping them by giving them money. I prioritized giving the money instead to services that would help them. Another way to help… I would ask them if I could buy them something to eat. I would ask if they wanted a coffee to warm up. Few of them would accept.
You know what? Most of the time, people seek connection. If I can offer a meal, a real and true conversation, humanize the person… it’s worth more than we can imagine.
But still today, I am bothered when someone on the street asks me for money. Does it happen to you? What do you do about it? Do you ignore them? Do you try to avoid the feelings it triggers inside of you? Do you feel uncomfortable or unsafe? Are you afraid?
These feelings are all natural. Now what do we do with them?
I am not a perfect example; three years ago, on a sunny day, in Vancouver, I walked away from a person in a situation of homelessness who’d found her friend dead on the sidewalk.
Why?
Because I wanted to avoid the situation.
Because I thought it was a drug-related situation.
Because I didn’t want the friends I was with to be traumatized by such a situation.
My conscience was ok because I knew that there were other people around that could help and I saw an ambulance arrive 30 seconds later, so it all came together to comfort me, and my peace. My point is that it’s difficult for anyone to face others’ helplessness.
Coming back to Jesus… what really happened?
The Canaanite woman is begging him.
He ignores her. Does he really ignore her?
The disciples ask Jesus to send her away.
She is so disturbing and bringing all the attention on us, please send her away.
Then Jesus tells them that he did not come for her, he came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And here comes the weirdest conversation in the New Testament:
-Lord, help me.
-It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.
-Yes Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.
-Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.
Why does Jesus bring that expression out? What does it mean?
Is Jesus not wanting to help? What if Jesus is choosing who he helps? What about his focus? How many people have shouted at him on the way?
Jesus tells the Canaanite woman that it is not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the "dogs." In this historical context, "children" meant the people of Israel, and "dogs" was a cultural term for outsiders or “Gentiles”. Jesus was emphasizing that his immediate earthly mission was focused on Israel first. The food (the blessings and God’s miracles) was initially for the house of Israel.
Instead of getting offended, the woman uses his own metaphor. She argues that even house dogs get the crumbs that fall from the table. She isn't asking to replace the children; she is saying Jesus' power is so immense that even a "crumb" of his grace is enough to save her daughter.
Jesus admires her quick wit, profound humility, and deep faith.
He grants her request and heals her daughter instantly.
It shows a rare moment where someone challenges Jesus and "wins" the argument through faith and humility. It marks a major shift in the New Testament, proving that Jesus' message and miracles were ultimately meant for everyone, crossing all cultural and religious borders.
Thanks to the Canaanite woman, Jesus’ ministry is open to all. Just as we read in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentil, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Jesus came for all… for the house of Israel, for the Canaanite woman and her daughter, for you, for me, for all those marginalized by society and for the person on the street asking for money.
Before I open on the first part of the Scripture, I need to share something with you. God works in mysterious ways. When I wrote my message Friday night, I never imagined that I would wake up to a message from my friend Michelle-Isabelle.
Michelle-Isabelle became a good friend (almost like a sister to me) when she joined a group that I organized to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Ten years ago today, we returned from our incredible experience where we encountered a different culture, climbed a mountain, and discovered a new family.
A little bit more than five years ago, she went through some very difficult times after the death of her lover. Eventually, we all lost contact with her. Then yesterday morning, I woke up to a message from her. She sent me an article about an interview she had given, sharing her own experience of homelessness and her journey as she tries to rebuild her life.
As I read Michelle-Isabelle’s story, I thought about today’s Gospel. Six years ago, she found her partner after he had taken his own life. At that time, she was working as a nursing assistant and living in what she describes as “a big house with a garage.” Her life did not look anything like what we might imagine when we think of someone experiencing homelessness. But after that terrible trauma, her occasional use of co***ne became something much more serious. She describes it as a descent into hell, a series of choices and circumstances that eventually led her into addiction, prostitution, and ultimately, homelessness.
And that is what struck me. If you saw Michelle-Isabelle today and knew nothing about her, you might simply see a person experiencing homelessness. But I see Michelle-Isabelle. I see my friend. I see the mother who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with me, who shared laughter, meals, struggles, and unforgettable moments with our group.
We never really know who the person standing on the street is until we take the time to get to know them. Behind every person experiencing homelessness, there is a name, a story, dreams, relationships, joys, losses, and sometimes unimaginable pain. Perhaps that is part of what Jesus teaches us today: to look beyond the labels, beyond appearances, and beyond the categories we create, and to truly see the person standing before us.
The first part of the scripture was inviting us to look at ourselves by what comes out of our mouth.
I was challenged by Jesus saying that the heart can carry evil. If the heart is the house of love in our body, and Jesus invites us to love ourselves to be able to love our neighbours, to love the strangers, to love those who bother us… it reminds me that if we do not nourish this love in us, it is easy to reject, judge, ignore, avoid, and hate strangers.
Today, without judging ourselves, let's reflect on what words leave our mouth, and what we carry in our hearts. How can we share the crumbs of our table and the food of our soul? How can we share uplifting words about strangers when we hear people carrying words of hate?
Jesus was challenged. He said that we would do greater things than he did. How can we learn to let ourselves be challenged like Jesus or even more?
How can we learn to be uncomfortable and share God’s bread of life, or at least the crumbs?
Let’s pray…
God of love and mercy, through Jesus, you teach us how to humanize those who are marginalized by our society by loving them. Being present in your love, welcoming, listening, acknowledging each human being we meet, sharing a meal… it can be challenging. With the grace of Your Holy Spirit, help us to share your blessings and miracles. May our faith in your fully inclusive love grow so that, through our body, Jesus’ mission can continue to be fulfilled. We ask you this, in Jesus' name, Amen!
