Humility commended in the Canaanite.
See how humility is commended. The Lord called that woman a dog; she did not say: I am not; but she said: I am. And the Lord immediately, because she acknowledged herself as a dog, said: O woman, great is your faith! let it be done for you as you have asked. You have acknowledged yourself as a dog, I now acknowledge you as a human. O woman, great is your faith! you asked, you sought, you knocked; receive, find, let it be opened to you. See, brothers, how in this woman who was a Canaanite, that is, who came from the Gentiles, and bore the type, that is, the figure of the Church, humility is especially commended. For indeed, the Jewish people, in order to be driven away from the Gospel, were puffed up with pride, because they had merited to receive the Law, because the Patriarchs had come forth from that people, the Prophets existed, Moses, the servant of God, had performed great miracles which we have heard in the Psalm, had done them in Egypt, had led the people through the Red Sea as the waters receded, had received the Law, which he had given to that same people. There was reason for the Jewish people to be proud, and through that same pride, it happened that it did not want to humble itself to Christ, the author of humility, the suppressor of arrogance, the doctor God, who for this reason, although He was God, became man, so that man might recognize man. Great medicine. If this medicine does not cure pride, I do not know what will cure it. He is God, and becomes man: he sets aside divinity, that is, in a way he excludes, that is, hides what was his, shows what he had taken. He becomes man, although he is God: and man does not recognize himself as man, that is, he does not acknowledge himself mortal, does not acknowledge himself fragile, does not acknowledge himself a sinner, does not acknowledge himself sick, so that he might seek a doctor as a sick person! but, what is more dangerous, he sees himself as healthy!
The Jews, having been rejected because of pride, the Gentiles were substituted in their place because of humility.
Therefore, for this reason, that people did not approach, that is, because of pride: and they are said to be from the olive tree, that is, from that people created from the Patriarchs, natural branches were broken, that is, Jews justly sterile with the spirit of pride; and the wild olive tree was grafted into that olive tree. The wild olive tree is a people from the Gentiles. Thus the Apostle says that the wild olive tree was grafted into the olive tree, but the natural branches were broken off. They were broken because of pride: the wild olive tree was grafted because of humility. This humility was shown by the woman, saying: Yes, Lord, I am a dog, I desire the crumbs. In this humility also that Centurion pleased: who, when he wanted his servant to be healed by the Lord, and the Lord said: I will come and heal him; he answered: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. He did not receive Him in his house, he received Him in his heart. The humbler, the more capable, the fuller. For hills repel water, valleys are filled. What then, what did the Lord say to this, after he said: I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, to those who followed: Amen I say to you, I have not found such great faith in Israel: that is, in that people to whom I came, I have not found such great faith. Such great, what is it? So great. Whence great? From the smallest, that is, from humility, great. I have not found such great faith: like a mustard seed, the smaller, the more fervent. Therefore the Lord was now grafting the wild olive tree into the olive tree. He was doing this then, when He said: Amen I say to you, I have not found such great faith in Israel.
Carnal things are not to be expected in the kingdom of heaven.
Finally, see what follows. Therefore I say to you (because I have not found such great faith in Israel, that is, such humility with faith): Therefore I say to you, that many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. They will recline, he says, they will rest. For we ought not to think of carnal feasts there, nor desire anything of the sort in that kingdom, so that we do not replace vices with virtues, but subjugate vices. For it is one thing to desire the kingdom of heaven for wisdom and eternal life; another, for earthly happiness, as if we would have it richer and greater there. If you think you will be wealthy in that kingdom, you do not cut off desire, you change it: and yet you will be rich, and only rich there. For here your need collects many things. Why do the rich have much? Because they need much. Greater need as if acquires greater means: there the need itself will die. Then you will truly be rich, when you will need nothing. For you will not be rich, and the angel poor, who has neither animals nor carriages nor households. Why? Because he does not need them: because the stronger he is, the less he needs. Therefore there are riches, and true riches. Do not think of the feasts of this earth there. For the feasts of this earth are daily medicines; they are necessary for a certain sickness we are born with. Whoever feels this sickness when the hour of refreshment has passed. Do you want to see how great this sickness is, that it kills like an acute fever, in seven days? Do not think you are healthy. Health will be immortality. For this is a long sickness. Because you sustain your sickness with daily medicines; you seem to be healthy to yourself: remove the medicines, and see what you can do.
The necessity of dying from the very beginning.
For from the time we are born, it is necessary that we die. This disease must necessarily lead to death. Certainly, when doctors examine the sick, they say this. For example, he has dropsy; he will die: this disease cannot be cured. He has leprosy; nor can this disease be cured. He has consumption; who can cure this? It is necessary that he perish, it is necessary that he die. Behold, the doctor has already said, He has consumption; he cannot survive; yet sometimes, neither does dropsy lead to death, nor does leprosy lead to death, nor does consumption lead to death: and yet it is necessary that anyone who has been born, dies from it. He will die from it, it cannot be otherwise. This is pronounced by both the doctor and the unlearned: but even if he dies later, does he not, nevertheless, die? So then, when is true health, except when there is true immortality? Therefore if there is true immortality, there is no corruption, no deficiency; what need will there be for food there? Therefore, when you hear: They will recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob; do not prepare the stomach, but the mind. You will be filled there: and that inner stomach itself has its own food. According to this stomach it is said: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. And indeed they will be satisfied, so that they do not hunger.
The natural branches are cut off, and the wild olive is grafted in.
The Lord was therefore already grafting the wild olive tree when he said: Many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, that is, they will be grafted into the olive tree. For the roots of this olive tree are Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob: but the children of the kingdom, that is the unbelieving Jews, will go into outer darkness. The natural branches will be cut off in order that the wild olive tree may be grafted in. But why did the natural branches deserve to be cut off, if not for pride? Why did the wild olive tree deserve to be grafted in, if not for humility? Hence also this woman said: Yes, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. And therefore she hears: O woman, great is your faith! Similarly, that Centurion: I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith in Israel. Let us learn, or maintain humility. If we do not yet have it, let us learn: if we have it, let us not lose it. If we do not yet have it, let us acquire it, so that we may be grafted in: if we already have it, let us maintain it, so that we may not be cut off.