God’s Salvation is available to all. Approaching God in prayer challenges our ability to be patient and persistent. We are reminded that God’s house of prayer is for all people. No matter our language, family background, or economic status, Jesus is available to us. In Jesus, we find love and unity. We are all welcomed into the arms of God.

The woman in today’s Gospel understood this message well. She was not one of those from the chosen tribe. She recognized and believed that Jesus will heal her child. This faith was all she needed to argue her case with Jesus. We need this kind of confidence when we pray. We must approach prayer with faith. No matter how long it takes, God will remember us. 
 
Jesus hears our prayers even when we think that he has ignored us.Even when the disciples wanted the woman to go away, she pleaded again. She would not give up easily. In the end, Jesus heals the woman’s daughter. 
When we stand firm in faith and make our requests, God will hear and answer us. God’s mercy is for us all.

Jesus may have been surprised by this woman’s persistent requests. We are sometimes surprised when God answers our prayers. God’s timing is not our timing. Even when it is difficult to wait, we must keep asking. A friend of mine says, “We must P.U.S.H." That means, “Pray Until Something Happens.”

As human beings, we all want to know that we are heard, accepted, and visible to those who care and want to help. The woman in this Gospel felt this from Jesus. That is why she did not give up after one request. She had confidence in God’s grace and mercy. May we have this same faith to know that we matter to God.