John Chrysostom, On the Progress of the Gospel

Have mercy on me, Lord, my daughter is grievously tormented by a demon. Behold, the woman is a foreigner, and a barbarian, and outside the commonwealth of the Jews. And what else is she but a dog, and unworthy to receive her request? For it is not, He says, good to take the children's bread and give it to the little dogs. But nevertheless, from her persistence she became worthy. For not only did He bring her, who was a dog, into the nobility of the children, but He also sent her away with many praises, saying: O woman, great is your faith; let it be to you as you desire. And when Christ says, Great is the faith, seek no other proof of the woman's magnanimity. Did you see how from persistence she, the woman who was unworthy, became 51.320 worthy? Do you wish to learn also that we accomplish more by beseeching Him ourselves, than through others? She cried out, and the disciples came and said: Send her away, for she cries after us; and to them He says, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; but when she herself came and persisted, crying out and saying: Yes, Lord, for even the little dogs eat from the table of their masters; then He gave the grace, and says: Let it be to you as you desire. Did you see how, when they besought Him, He refused; but when she who needed the gift cried out, He consented? For to them He says, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; but to her He said, Great is your faith; let it be to you as you desire. Again, at the beginning and in the preface of the request He answered nothing; but since she came once and a second and a third time, then He gave the grace, persuading us by the outcome that He postponed the gift, not to refuse her, but to show us all the woman's perseverance. For if He had postponed it to refuse her, He would not have given it at the end; but since He was waiting to show her wisdom to all, for this reason He was silent. For if He had given it immediately and at the beginning, we would not have known the woman's fortitude. Send her away, he says, for she cries after us. But what does Christ say? You hear a voice, but I see the thought; I know what she is about to say. I do not wish to let the treasure hidden in her thought remain concealed, but I wait and am silent, so that having uncovered it I may set it in the midst, and make it manifest to all. 13. Therefore, having learned all these things, even if we are in sins, and unworthy to receive, let us not despair, knowing that by the persistence of the soul we shall be able to become worthy of the request. And even if we are unprotected and desolate, let us not give up, knowing that it is a great protection to approach God oneself with much eagerness. And even if He should delay and postpone the gift, let us not grow weary, having learned that the delay and postponement are a proof of care and love for mankind. If we are thus persuaded, and with a grieving and fervent soul of an aroused purpose, and of such a kind as the Canaanite woman approached, let us also approach Him, even if we are dogs, even if we have done anything terrible, and we shall ward off our own evils, and we shall receive such boldness as to intercede for others also; in the way that this Canaanite woman not only herself enjoyed boldness and countless praises, but also was able to snatch her little daughter from unbearable terrors. For nothing, nothing is more powerful than a fiery and genuine prayer.

This both dissolves present terrors, and snatches one away from the punishments that occur at that time. Therefore, so that we may both complete the present life with ease, and depart there with boldness, let us perform this continually with much diligence and eagerness. For thus we shall be able both to obtain the good things that are laid up, and to enjoy good hopes; which may it be granted for us all to attain, by the grace and love for mankind and mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, honor, power unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε, ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται. Ἰδοὺ ἀλλόφυλος ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ βάρβαρος, καὶ τῆς πολιτείας τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἐκτός. Καὶ τί γὰρ ἕτερον ἢ κύων, καὶ ἀνάξιος τοῦ λαβεῖν τὴν αἴτησιν; Οὐ γάρ ἐστι, φησὶ, καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων, καὶ δοῦναι τοῖς κυναρίοις. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀπὸ τῆς προσεδρείας γέγονεν ἀξία. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον εἰς τὴν τῶν παίδων αὐτὴν εὐγένειαν εἰσήγαγε, κύνα οὖσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πολλῶν τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἐξέπεμψεν, εἰπών· Ὦ γύναι, μεγάλη σου ἡ πίστις· γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις. Ὅταν δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς λέγῃ, Μεγάλη ἡ πίστις, μηδεμίαν ἑτέραν ἀπόδειξιν ζήτει τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας τῆς κατὰ τὴν γυναῖκα. Εἶδες πῶς ἐκ τῆς προσεδρείας γέγονεν 51.320 ἀξία, ἀναξία οὖσα ἡ γυνή; Βούλει μαθεῖν καὶ ὅτι δι' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον, ἢ δι' ἑτέρων παρακαλοῦντες αὐτὸν ἀνύομεν; Ἔκραξεν αὕτη, καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγουσιν· Ἀπόλυσον αὐτὴν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν· καὶ πρὸς μὲν ἐκείνους φησὶν, Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην, εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ· ὅτε δὲ αὐτὴ δι' ἑαυτῆς προσῆλθε καὶ ἐπέμενε βοῶσα, καὶ λέγουσα· Ναὶ, Κύριε, καὶ γὰρ τὰ κυνάρια ἐσθίει ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν· τότε τὴν χάριν ἔδωκε, καί φησι· Γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις. Εἶδες πῶς, ὅτε μὲν ἐκεῖνοι παρεκάλουν, διεκρούσατο· ὅτε δὲ αὐτὴ ἡ δεομένη τῆς δωρεᾶς ἐβόησεν, ἐπένευσεν; Ἐκείνοις μὲν γάρ φησιν, Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην, εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ· ταύτῃ δὲ εἶπε, Μεγάλη σου ἡ πίστις· γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις. Πάλιν παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ ἐν προοιμίῳ τῆς αἰτήσεως οὐδὲν ἀπεκρίνατο· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρὶς προσῆλθε, τότε τὴν χάριν ἔδωκε, διὰ τοῦ τέλους ἡμᾶς πείθων, ὅτι τὴν δόσιν ἀνεβάλετο, οὐχ ἵνα αὐτὴν διακρούσηται, ἀλλ' ἵνα πᾶσιν ἡμῖν δείξῃ τὴν ὑπομονὴν τῆς γυναικός. Εἰ γὰρ ἵνα αὐτὴν διακρούσηται ἀνεβάλετο, οὐδ' ἂν πρὸς τῷ τέλει ἔδωκεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀνέμενε δεῖξαι πᾶσιν αὐτῆς τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, διὰ τοῦτο ἐσίγα. Εἰ γὰρ εὐθέως ἔδωκε καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν, οὐκ ἂν ἔγνωμεν τὴν ἀνδρείαν τῆς γυναικός. Ἀπόλυσον αὐτὴν, φησὶν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν. Τί δὲ ὁ Χριστός; Ὑμεῖς φωνὴν ἀκούετε, ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν ὁρῶ· οἶδα τί μέλλει λέγειν. Οὐ βούλομαι τὸν ἐγκεκρυμμένον αὐτῆς τῇ διανοίᾳ θησαυρὸν ἀφεῖναι λαθεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀναμένω καὶ σιγῶ, ἵνα αὐτὸν ἐκκαλύψας εἰς τὸ μέσον καταθῶμαι, καὶ πᾶσι ποιήσω φανερόν. ιγʹ. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα μαθόντες, κἂν ἐν ἁμαρτήμασιν ὦμεν, καὶ τοῦ λαβεῖν ἀνάξιοι, μὴ ἀπογινώσκωμεν, εἰδότες ὅτι τῇ προσεδρείᾳ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνησόμεθα γενέσθαι τῆς αἰτήσεως ἄξιοι. Κἂν ἀπροστάτευτοι καὶ ἔρημοι ὦμεν, μὴ ἀπαγορεύωμεν, εἰδότες ὅτι μεγάλη προστασία, τὸ αὐτὸν δι' ἑαυτοῦ προσελθεῖν τῷ Θεῷ μετὰ προθυμίας πολλῆς. Κἂν μέλλῃ καὶ ἀναβάληται πρὸς τὴν δόσιν, μὴ ἀναπέσωμεν, μαθόντες ὅτι ἡ μέλλησις καὶ ἀναβολὴ κηδεμονίας καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἐστὶ τεκμήριον. Ἂν οὕτως ὦμεν πεπεικότες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ μετὰ ψυχῆς ὀδυνωμένης καὶ θερμῆς καὶ διεγηγερμένης προαιρέσεως, καὶ τοιαύτης οἵας ἡ Χαναναία προσῆλθεν, αὐτῷ προσίωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, κἂν κύνες ὦμεν, κἂν ὁτιοῦν εἰργασμένοι δεινὸν, καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀποκρουσόμεθα κακὰ, καὶ τοσαύτην ληψόμεθα παῤῥησίαν, ὡς καὶ ἑτέρων προστῆναι· ὃν τρόπον καὶ αὕτη ἡ Χαναναία οὐ μόνον αὐτὴ παῤῥησίας ἀπέλαυσε καὶ μυρίων ἐγκωμίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θυγάτριον τῶν ἀφορήτων ἴσχυσεν ἐξαρπάσαι δεινῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ, οὐδὲν εὐχῆς δυνατώτερον πεπυρωμένης καὶ γνησίας.

Αὕτη καὶ τὰ παρόντα διαλύει δεινὰ, καὶ τῶν κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν συμβαινόντων ἐξαρπάζει κολάσεων. Ἵν' οὖν καὶ τὸν παρόντα βίον μετ' εὐκολίας διανύσωμεν, κἀκεῖ μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἀπέλθωμεν, πολλῇ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ ταύτην ἐπιτελέσωμεν διηνεκῶς. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα καὶ τῶν ἀποκειμένων τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τῶν χρηστῶν ἀπολαύειν ἐλπίδων· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, τιμὴ, κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.