Which humbling experience made your faith stronger? - Daily Reflections February 13,2014

HIS NAME IS SHAMI — HE’S JUST A DOG

 

I have a dog, a four-year-old shih tzu named Shami whom I entrusted to the care of a brother and his wife. He knows that they’re his dad and mom. He’s bratty. We celebrate his birthday every February 14. He sleeps in bed with his adoptive parents. He watches only English TV programs. He likes to be dressed up. My brother told me that even if he is financially hard up, he sees to it that Shami eats good food and sees the veterinarian regularly.

       When the time came for Shami to find a mate, it was not successful. He did not want “to be in a relationship” with another dog. He threw tantrums. He abhors dogs. He does not know that he is one! A veterinarian advised that Shami needs to be “humbled” to know that he’s a dog — just a dog.

       Jesus has a unique way of humbling people to test their faith. The woman in the Gospel believes that only Jesus can dispel the demon disturbing her daughter. She is not a Jew but a Greek from Syrophoenicia. And being an “unclean” person who does not belong to the chosen race, she doesn’t deserve to be favored. Yet, armed with her conviction and faith, she humbly begged and fell at Jesus’ feet to seek healing for her daughter.

       Jesus further “humbled” her by saying, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”

       She was just a dog. And this she knew. But her heart was sure of something: “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” She never assumed that she would be given as much as those eaten by the legitimate children.

       Jesus read her heart. She believed that she deserved even the littlest favor from God. The more she was humbled, the more she believed. To such a sincere, humble and believing heart, Jesus chooses to answer.

       In the meantime, Shami is learning to be “humble” and accept the fact that he is just a dog. He’s celebrating his birthday tomorrow and there’s a party — with other dogs! Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Which humbling experience made your faith stronger?

 

Lord Jesus, in my nothingness, fill me.