WEDNESDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Cris is away at Fire Camp again, so last night, I watched The Blind Side. The film came out in 2009 and is based on the real-life story of Michael Oher, a homeless black teen.
Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock and her husband, Sean, played by Tim McGraw, take Michael in from the cold one night. A pivotal scene in the movie that left me sobbing for a good five minutes. The Tuohys eventually become Michael's legal guardians, transforming both his life and theirs.
You probably know the story of Michael Oher. He goes on to play for Coach O at Ole Miss. In the 2009 NFL Draft, he is the 23rd First Round pick. He signs a $13.8 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. In 2013, they win the Super Bowl. But Leigh Anne didn't know all that the night she loaded him into her car. She saw a kid that was cold and homeless and worthy of being loved.
In today's Gospel, the Canaanite woman calls out to the Lord for help. What does the Lord do? He calls her a dog. Really? Yes, but no. Christ uses this encounter with the woman to dismiss the Jewish belief that they had sole claim to the Messiah. He shows the Jewish people that she, too, is a chosen daughter worthy of Christ's love and mercy.
What do Michael and the Canaanite woman have in common? Worth. The Jews viewed the Canaanite woman as worthless. Plenty of people could have looked at Michael and seen a homeless black kid from the projects with a 0.7 GPA and regarded him as worthless. Micheal had nothing, and no one, but the Tuohy's believed in his worth when maybe even he didn't believe in himself. They loved him, unconditionally.
Today, I think about Leigh Anne, and it moves my heart. She did what Jesus teaches us to do. Mother Teresa said, "Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you."
I don't think it would hurt us to ask ourselves: How can I be more like Leigh Anne today?
Comments