Gesu Church in Detroit shared a reflection on sowing the seed of the gospel for all people in its Aug. 16 bulletin.

DiAnne Patterson Schultz wrote that the words of the Lord are to be accessible to all people, not only certain individuals. This truth comes directly from the words of the prophet Isaiah. 

Schultz wrote that it is a comforting realization that the kingdom of God is for all people, not only those who are like us but for all who believe, trust, love and serve the Lord.

“Raised as a child in a Protestant tradition, I sometimes heard derisive words used to reference the Catholic tradition,” Schultz said. “When I converted to Catholicism, I often heard similar terms used to describe Protestants. And during the early years of my entry into the Catholic ‘family,’ I was made to feel like anything but a welcomed member of that family.”

The tendency that we as humans have to make those who are different from us— in tradition, culture, ethnicity, race or practice— out to be the “other” is incredibly harmful.

Schultz wrote that it can at first be difficult to read Jesus’ interaction with the Canaanite woman for this very same reason.

“I find myself feeling sad because this Jesus that I have grown to love would hurl insults at a woman just because she was different,” Schultz said. “(And I know, it’s more complicated than that!) But then, Jesus has a change of heart; He appears to be enlightened and to understand that the woman believes and places her full trust in His Father, our Father, the One who created each of us to love Him and each other.”

Instead of making her feel like an outsider, her faith is what gives her access to the mercies of the Lord.

Schultz compels all of us to use our faith and trust in the Lord to ensure that there are no individuals who feel set apart or segregated from the love of Christ.