20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 16, 2020)

Today’s readings speak to us of justice and mercy. We are called to “keep justice” and to do what is right, because the Lord Himself is just, and He rules the world with justice. At times, like the Canaanite woman, we do not deserve God’s blessing. Still, following from her example we can cry out to God for mercy.
We are called to be daring in our relationship with God. We should always know our place, remaining at Jesus’ feet, but from there we must cry out to Him.
The Canaanite woman’s faith is not only found in her confidence that God would heal her daughter, but even in her belief that such a healing was only a small act for God. She realized that to ask for healing was like asking for crumbs. When we find ourselves facing difficult situations, we can think that to ask such a favour of God is to ask the impossible, but we must be sure that with God all things are possible.
So also, when we are working in the Pro-life movement, we must not be afraid to ask God for help. He continues to work in our world, and He will certainly respond to our prayers.
Pro-Life Intercession: That God, who rescues the life of the helpless, may enable us to rescue children from abortion, the sick from euthanasia, the criminal from capital punishment, and the poor from starvation, we pray to the Lord...