“Let it be done for you as you wish”
The Canaanite woman has a deep faith that is expressed in her prayers to Jesus. The Catechism teaches us that the final step of faith is to have a relationship with God in prayer. “This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it [faith], that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.” [1] Today’s gospel shows the characteristics and types of prayer for a Christian.
What is prayer? A basic definition is “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” [2] Saint Théresè said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” [3]
What are the characteristics of prayer? There are three things to know about prayer.
First, we must see prayer as a gift from God. We must come to him in humility, for “…humility is the foundation of prayer.” [4] Besides being persistent in prayer, the Canaanite woman teaches us humility. “Prayer can rise up only from a humble and repentant hear.” [5] Psalm 50 says, “A humble and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.” (Ps. 50:19). Why is prayer a gift? God not only allows us to talk to Him, but even desires us to talk to Him. God does not need us to talk to Him, for God lacks nothing. In His great love for man, He desires to share the divine life with us, and part of that sharing is intimate communication, which is prayer.
Second, Christian prayer is a relationship and communication with God. “Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. It is the action of God and of man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man.” [6] God calls each and everyone one of us first. “God tirelessly calls each person to this mysterious encounter with Himself. Prayer unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation as a reciprocal call between God and man.” [7] When we respond to God’s call in prayer we must realize He is always and ever present to our needs. The question we must ask ourselves is “Where does prayer come from? Prayer is a response to the call of God. Where does this response come from within us?” The scriptures tell us it is the heart that prays. In fact, it tells us this more than a thousand times. [8] The Catechism says it the best: “If our heart is far from God, the words of prayer are in vain….The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant.” [9]
Discussion Question
Discuss a time when you prayed well in your thoughts and/or in your words. Why was the prayer so good? Did the prayer get answered if it was a petition?
Why do you think people forget that God is calling us first? Why do people think God is not there when they pray?
Third, Christian prayer is a communion with Christ. This covenant we speak of is the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. Through our Baptism we are united with Jesus. It is Christian because it is through Him, with Him, and in Him we are ever in the presence of the Triune God, and the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.
What are the different forms of Christian prayer? How does the woman show these various types of prayer? There are many different forms of prayer: adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication. These four main forms or types of prayer can be easily remembered using the acronym A.C.T.S. The woman in this Gospel is showing us a perfect example of supplication. Supplication can be broken down into two categories: prayer of petition and prayer of intercession.
What is prayer of petition? Petition has different words to describe it: ask, beseech, plead, invoke, entreat, cry out. Of the three listed, prayer of petition is the most used form in the scriptures. Our ultimate petition is to turn our lives back to God and be united with Him. We see in scripture the many people seeking forgiveness. The parable of the Tax Collector (Lk. 18:13) is one example. “Christian petition is centered on the desire and search for the Kingdom to come, in keeping with the teaching of Christ.” [10] We see the Canaanite woman petitioning to Jesus to cure her daughter. She is crying out to God to bring her daughter back to God from demons. Jesus even talks about bringing the Kingdom of God and the woman shows great faith that Jesus brings the Kingdom to all.
What is the prayer of intercession? Prayer of intercession is similar to prayer of petition. The difference is a prayer of petition leads a person to pray as Christ did. Jesus intercedes for all mankind. A prayer of intercession is a petition but on behalf of another. “In intercession, he who prays looks ‘not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others,’ even to the point of praying for those who do him harm.” [11] Christian prayer of petition knows no boundaries because God has no boundaries when it comes to His people. The Canaanite woman is obviously showing intercession for her daughter. Her faith and prayer is so pure that she does not care what other people think or do to her when they try to remove her from Jesus. Her prayer is faithful and Jesus blesses her.
What is prayer of thanksgiving? Prayer of thanksgiving is praising God and thanking Him for everything He does for us. “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his mercy endures forever!” (Ps. 107:1) We give thanksgiving to God for all He has done for us throughout all the ages. His mercy in deeds last forever. We know this because He sent His only begotten Son to save us from sin and death, and be brought to His glory. We should pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all things whether they big or small. The height of the Church’s prayer of thanksgiving is in the Eucharist at Mass where we give thanks for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the source of all Grace. We do not read in the Gospel that the Canaanite woman prayed in thanksgiving, however we can be rest assured that she was thankful. Prayer of thanksgiving many times flows from the fruit of petition and intercession. In this Gospel the woman intercedes for her daughter, the fruit of which is healing. The mercy of God given in the healing invokes a response from the heart that is expressed in a prayer of thanksgiving. Prayer then like any communication in a relationship is circular and ongoing, one conversation leads to another.
Discussion Question
Of these three types which one do you pray the most?
Which one do you pray the least?
Which type of prayer do you like the most? Why?
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Chruch (CCC) 2558
[2] St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C.
[3] St. Therese of Lisieux, Manuscrits autobiographieques, C 25r.
[4] CCC 2559
[5] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 4, 64.3 pg. 393
[6] CCC 2564
[7] CCC 2591
[8] cf. CCC 2562
[9] CCC 2563
[10] CCC 2632
[11] CCC 2635