My Thoughts on the Bible Readings of Today

How many of us give others what they want just to shut them up? In today's gospel reading that is exactly what the disciples asked Jesus to do. They asked Him to give the Canaanite woman what she wanted so she would go away. This is not right. We should help others because of love, not because we feel guilty for not helping more or so they would stop pestering us. After all, God is love, and we want to be like Him, right? So we should love like He does- unconditionally and totally. But since we should love our neighbors as ourselves, we should do acts of love and charity that we are comfortable with until we are spiritually mature enough to be comfortable to give everything to and for God and others. This does not however happen without God's help- so ask for it!

Another matter of interest in today's gospel is the fact that the Canaanite lady braved ridicule, rejection and loss of face to get what she wanted. The disciples' embarrassment did not turn her away. Jesus' seeming rejection did not turn her away. And what caused this desire to succeed? Love. The love of a parent for her child. And also faith. Faith that Jesus has the ability and the desire to grant her request. This is how we should pray. We should ask for things out of love- love for God, love for others, and love for self (not 'I want a Mercedes' kind of love but 'I want to my life to be more fulfilled' kind of love). And we should have faith that God would know how and when to grant our prayers. And if our prayers are of the wrong sort or asking for the wrong things then we should have faith that God will let us know and help us ask for 'better' things.

Are you Sanguine? Choleric? Melancholic? Phlegmatic?

The above are personality profiles taken from the book Personality Plus by Florence Littauer (ISBN 1-85424-509-0). Here's a brief description of the types:

Choleric: This is the commander-type. Cholerics are dominant, strong, decisive, stubborn and even arrogant.

Melancholy: This is the mental-type. Their typical behaviour involves thinking, assessing, making lists, evaluating the positives and negatives, and general analysis of facts.

Sanguine: This is the social-type. They enjoy fun, socialising, chatting, telling stories - and are fond of promising the world, because that's the friendly thing to do.

Phlegmatic: This is the flat-type. They are easy going, laid back, nonchalant, unexcitable and relaxed. Desiring a peaceful environment above all else.

Here's a more detailed description (taken from http://hubpages.com/hub/Temperaments):

The Melancholic - A melancholic longs for a deep soul mate, yet when he is around people, he often finds himself mistrustful and disappointed. Also known as Melancholia, a person who was a thoughtful ponderer had a melancholic disposition. Often very kind and considerate, melancholics can be highly creative. The melancholic is likely the one with the perfectly organized closet and kitchen, the tidy desk-top, and the painstaking attention to religious observances, sometimes to the point of scrupulosity. This often results in being unsatisfied with one's own artistic or creative works and always pointing out to themselves what could and should be improved.

The Phlegmatic - phlegmatics are generally self-content and kind, their shy personality can often inhibit enthusiasm in others and make themselves lazy and resistant to change. Phlegmatic person is calm and unemotional most likely possess a dry wit and a steady, amicable demeanor. Feel more comfortable in a small group of friends or even spending a quiet evening relaxing at home. They were never flashy, belligerent, or self-aggrandizing. They would rather take the blame (even unjustly) than stir up controversy or pick a fight. They are very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and observant, making them good administrators and diplomats.

The Sanguine - A person who is sanguine is generally light hearted, fun loving, a people person, loves to entertain, spontaneous and confident. Wear their emotions on your sleeves, but they are always quick to "forgive and forget." However they can be arrogant, cocky and indulgent. He/She can be day-dreamy and off-task to the point of not accomplishing anything and can be impulsive, possibly acting on whims in an unpredictable fashion. Probably struggle with follow-through, are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful. As quickly as you discover a new hobby or pursuit, you can also lose interest--when it ceases to be engaging or fun.

The Choleric - A person who is choleric is a doer and a leader. A dynamic, self-motivated leader who can set sights on a target and relentlessly pursue it until success is achieved. A strong-willed individual who makes decisions quickly and decisively, and who readily and easily grasps difficult concepts and strategies. Cholerics are often accused of being stubborn, domineering, and dictatorial. They demand loyalty from friends, and thrive when in control. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. They have a lot of ambition, energy, and passion, and try to instill it in others.

The Personality Plus system allows for extensions by mixing profiles, such as describing someone as a Choleric Sanguine, rather than just Choleric or Sanguine. The system exists not simply to describe an individual's personality type but rather to highlight those aspects of personality which relate to interactions between people.

How to find out what personality you are? Check out these websites:

http://www.4marks.com/temperaments.html

http://www.oneishy.com/personality/personality_test.php

And don't forget- offer up your personality type to God and ask Him how to use it for His glory.

Today's Bible Readings (20th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Today is Sun 17 Aug and the readings are as below:

Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7
This is what the Lord says, “Promote justice! Do what is right! For I am ready to deliver you; I am ready to vindicate you openly.
As for foreigners who become followers of the Lord and serve him, who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants – all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, and who are faithful to my covenant – I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.”

Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.

Matthew 15: 21-28
At that time, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” So he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and bowed down before him and said, “Lord, help me!” “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” he said. “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.