**Faith Is Persistent

         In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 15, a Canaanite woman called out to Jesus, begging him to heal her daughter tormented by a demon. Jesus said to his disciples, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." The women still came and did Jesus homage, saying, "Lord, help me. He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." The woman's daughter was healed from that hour. Faith won the day! The Lord never gives up on us. Let's not ever give up on him.