St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 21 - 22, The Lost Children of God: The Canaanite Woman.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Canaanite woman) Part 1.  

Jesus left the land of Genesar and traveled to the district of Tyre and Sidon where he stayed and taught the disciples and the people.  The word spread.  The word was spoken of his greatness.  The word was heard by many far and wide that knew him not, but heard of his deeds.  And many came to be a witness, for themselves, of the truth that was taking place in their time.  For others did not believe.  Others scoffed at the idea.  Others ridiculed the word.  Others warned of fake and fraud and forgery and trickery.  And others persuaded the people that no such person existed that could give them hope.  For evil was at work in the land.  Evil possessed the people.  Evil turned their minds and their hearts that they did not believe the Messiah had come.  Their eyes did not see, their ears did not hear and their hearts were closed less the word would enter them and they believed.  

And yet there were those, lost children of God, that did believe.  There were those, the lost children of God, who heard the word.  There were those, the lost children of God, who had a ray of hope when the word entered and sparked new life.  And evil would not relent.  Evil would not pass.  Evil would not yield until the appointed time.  For evil possessed the people and held them within its grip.  And no one knew of the hope that would rid them of the evil. 

And so, the Canaanite woman came.  And so, she was filled with hope.  And so, she knew the truth had come.  She would not be turned, she would not be deterred, she would not relent, she would not accept defeat, she would not give up to the evil that had possessed her daughter and taken over her body.  For she knew that the time had come.  She knew that the Messiah had come.  She believed that he was the one who would defeat the evil that was in her life and the life of her daughter.  So, she came out to meet Jesus and to plead for his help.   And leaving there, Jesus retired to the district of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a Canaanite woman came out of that territory and cried out to him, saying, "Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is sorely beset by a devil."

Does the Canaanite woman cry out today?  Can you hear her crying for her children?  Can you hear her weeping for the lost children of God?  For they are blind.  They are deaf.  They are hungry.  They are dirty.  They have no place to sleep.  They are possessed of evil that turns them away from society to seek their own survival.  And the evil stalks them day and night without relenting.  They know no rest.  Who would weep for them? Who will care for them?  Who will feed them.  Who will give them the true spiritual food that they need to renew the life within.  Physical food will not suffice.  Only the spiritual food that Christ brought will heal, will save, will conquer, and will give new life. 

The Canaanite woman came.  She came because she heard the word.  She came because she believed.  She came because she knew that this Christ was the answer to her prayers and she would not be deterred.  She would not be turned.  She would not be changed.  She knew that her prayers had been answered.  So, she went out to meet him.  She went out to see him.  She went out to know him that her prayers would be answered.  And she cried out to the Lord.  Save my daughter.  Save my child.  Save my beloved, for she is beset by a devil.  Who will cry out for the lost souls of today?  Who will weep for those possessed of evil?  Who will pray for them? 

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 20, Understanding: Awareness

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 4.   

Christ has revealed, to his disciples and the people, understanding of what defiles.  He has opened the minds and the hearts of the people so that they now know, so that they now see, so that they now understand truth.  For this is not the truth of the Pharisees that want the people to hear their truth.  This is not the truth of the world that wants the people to be confused, misled, and blind.  This is the truth that comes from the father of truth through Christ.  This is truth that comes from the creator of truth that knows no lie or falsehood or deceit.  This is the truth that comes to mankind from all eternity, the truth of God.

Christ spoke the words of truth and truth came to the people.  Christ explained the words of truth that there would be no doubt in the people.  Christ elaborated on the truth that all would understand.  And today we read and hear the truth and do not understand, do not comprehend.  He has said to us,   "These are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

These, defile a man when they enter the hearts of men.  These, defile a man when they come forth from the mouth of men.  These, are the things that are evil,the things that occupy the hearts and men and allow darkness to enter the heart.  For from the heart comes evil thoughts.  For the heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is.  "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."  Become like a little ones and not like the wise and the prudent that profess the knowledge and the wisdom of the world.  Hear the words of the truth of eternity and know that it comes from the father of wisdom and truth.

Let not the heart be opened to evil.  Let not the heart become dark with passion.  Let not the heart know adulteries and immorality.  Let not the heart give false witness or blasphemies.  Let not the heart conceive of murder.  For these are the things of evil.  These are the things that lead down the path of destruction and death.  These are the things that defile, corrupt, and kill the life that Christ came and died that we might have.  And these are the things that the evil one brings to us that we may fall to him.  Yet we live in a world where these things are all around us.  We live in a world where these evils present themselves to us on a daily basis.  We live in a world where these things a accepted as common occurrences. 

But we know not how to protect ourselves.  We know not how to fight against these things.  We know not how to guard our hearts that we may not succumb to the temptations of these things.  For this is not a part of our world.  We are not taught how to avoid these things.  We do not see and hear and understand the truth of the advocate that was given to us.  For Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 

Receive the life of Christ and open the heart to the advocate that he may live within.  Christ has told us how we may know that we have the Holy Spirit.  He has give us the guide.  He has opened the door that the Holy Spirit may come in.  Yet few accept.  Few know.  Few receive the truth of eternal life that is ours for the asking.  Read the words of the good news.  Study the words of the gospel of the New Testament.  Read it like you read a book and not as a study guide.  Receive the truth of the light of Christ.  Then, you too will know that you have received the light of the Holy Spirit.  And your heart will rejoice in his presence and his consolation.

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 19, Understanding: The Revelation

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 3.   

The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and it is they that defile a man.  Christ spoke these words to his disciples and to the people that he had called to himself.  He is the teacher.   He is the instructor.  He is the author of Truth that proceeds from the Father, and Truth is with him.  Yet they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not see the things that he spoke to them.  Truth reached out to them but their minds and hearts were blocked by the things that filled their hearts.  Christ is the truth that comes from the father and in him there is no lie, there is no deceit.

Yet do we find truth in his words today?  Do we believe that he can not lie and his words are living truth?  He speaks of things that do not make sense.  He speaks of things that are difficult to comprehend.  He stretches the imagination to the limits of understanding that perplex the mind.  Yet he does not lie.  He does not deceive.  His words are truth.  Then he spoke these words to his disciples:  "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, immorality, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies."    

The Revelation: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts."  Is this truth?  How is it that thoughts come from the heart?  We think with our minds and not our hearts?  Or do we?  Christ, the author of Truth through his Father, tells us that the heart thinks.  Is this truth or is it symbolism?  Out of the heart come thoughts???   Christ praised his father in a previous verse for hiding the things of knowledge and wisdom.   " I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."

Hear and understand!!  The heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is!  For we are the children of God and through our hearts we are.  Let not the heart think of evil.  Let not the heart know adultery.  Let not the heart seek murder.  Let not the heart give false witness or think of theft, or immorality.  For it is from these things that open the door of the heart to darkness and the good heart becomes evil. 

Hear the revelation, hear the lesson.  Hear and learn!  Hear and understand!  Truth seeks to know you.  Truth seek to find you.  Truth seeks to give you joy and peace.  For from it and with it and through it comes the blessings of the spirit within you.  Let it not be contaminated with evil.  Let it not be defiled.  Let it be cleansed with the living words of Christ.  Fill it with the knowledge and truth that comes from the father and his blessing will flow unto you.  His seed will be planted in you to grow and bring forth much fruit.

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 17 - 18, Understanding: Explanation

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 2.    
    
Christ is teaching the people and bringing to them understanding.  He has called forth Truth to come to open the minds and hearts of the people that they may not continue in darkness, lacking the knowledge they need to know truth.  Truth is with him.  Truth is in him.  Truth is upon him and the Pharisees did not want the people to have truth.  Even the disciples of Christ were wanting in truth.  Even they did not understand Truth despite Truth presenting itself through the author of Truth, the creator of Truth, Christ.

They did not realize.  They did not comprehend.  They did not have some way to make sense of the conflict that was presented to them.  The Pharisees taught that they were unclean when they ate if they did not wash.  Christ opened their eyes by teaching them that they were not unclean if they did not wash.  For it was not what was put into the mouth that made one unclean but what came out of it.  But they did not realize.  They did not understand.  They did not comprehend.  Christ told them,  "Do you not realize that whatever enters the mouth passes into the belly and is cast out into the drain?  But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is they that defile a man."

The things that proceed out of the mouth defile a man.  Hear and comprehend!  The things that proceed out of the mouth defile a man.  And the things that come forth from the mouth are things that come from the heart.  What is in our hearts?  What is Christ telling us about who we are?  Do our hearts reflect what and who we are?   For it is they that defile us.  It is they who speak to us.  It is they who guide us.  It is they who lead us, like blind men, into the darkness and we are not aware of who leads us.  What is in our hearts?  What comes forth from our hearts? 

Are we deceived?  Do we not have a brain that tells us what we do and do not do?  How does the heart say who we are?  It is how we think that makes us who we are?  It is what we believe with our minds that makes us a person of God.  It is what we know of the Gospel that gives us the words we speak.  Is it not with our minds that we are?  Or is it?  We feel.  We have emotions.  We love, we hate, we cry, we pain, we know, we have joy, we have sorrow, we have happiness, we are depressed, we have anger, all as part of who we are, humans.  These are emotions that we know in our minds and can feel within our hearts.  Yet do we think with out minds or with our hearts?  Christ instructed the disciples as he is instructing us today.  Hear and understand!  Realize that the "things" that come forth from our mouths are the things that are in our hearts and it is "they" that defile us.