The memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Gen. 2:18-25, Mk 7:24-30. Today’s Gospel tells us about a Greek woman that went to Jesus and “begged” Him to help her daughter. Despite not being a Jew, people of the Covenant, who had been waiting for the Messiah, nonetheless cried out to Jesus for help. Jesus says to her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs". God knows us better than we know ourselves. God demands faith from us, even when we believe we have nothing to offer. He is willing to “pull” our faith out of us, even if it demands that He test us, in order to purify our faith.

We are challenged to have the same confident faith that this woman has to “banter” with God and to recognise that being an outsider is not an impediment to the grace of God. Saints Cyril and Methodius whose memorial we celebrate were great men of faith as they work strenuously for the promotion of faith in their time. Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in 9th century Thessalonika in northern Greece, in the Byzantine Roman empire. They became ardent missionaries among the Slavic peoples of Moravia and Pannonia (modern Czech Republic and Hungary). They so influenced the cultural development of all the Slavic peoples that they were honoured as “Apostles to the Slavs".

May the Lord be our joy at the turning points of life and our reward of our faith! Amen!! Good morning and have a glorious day!!!