Jesus is more playful than we might think. We see his playfulness in his many parables. He did not tell his parables to teach dogma. Dogma is not playful. Instead, he told his stories and used metaphors within them so that we might play with them. He offered characters and events to help us enjoy life and the deeper meaning in it. Jesus’ verbal exchanges with people revealed that same playfulness. Jesus’ playfulness is at play in his encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman in Sunday’s Gospel.
Conversely, the deity of the Old Testament, Yahweh, and much of the Old Testament itself, are not known for their playfulness. Religion was serious business. It made demands, such as worship. Worship made behavioral demands of the Israelites. It even made demands on foreigners, referred to as dogs, who lived among the Israelites. Worship behaviors included making burnt offerings and sacrifices at Yahweh’s altar, usually of animals. It does not sound very playful. It apparently was not of much interest to the playful Jesus who is never described as worshipping in such a manner. Jesus is not described as spending much time in worship at all. He is instead constantly described as being out among people. In one such circumstance the disciples are being quite serious about getting rid of a particularly bothersome person, the Syro-Phoenician woman in Sunday’s Gospel. She is a foreigner; one of those “dogs.” It is likely Jesus is being a bit playful when he does not give in to the disciples’ ever so serious reactions to the woman. It is also likely Jesus is being playful with the foreign woman as well. The foreign woman seems to play at worshipping Jesus when she calls him Lord and Son of David. Her offer of worship, true or not, does not elicit a verbal response from Jesus, though it may have elicited a smile. The Gospel tells us their exchange brought healing to the woman’s child. Jesus does not need to be worshiped. He never asked for it, let alone demanded it. Doing so would have made Jesus a much too serious fellow.
Play is one of the best qualities we can develop as children growing up. It is one of the best qualities we can maintain as we keep on growing up. Play is all about spontaneity, imagination, and creativity. It is about enduring and thriving through difficulties because of those qualities. Play is about being delightfully engaged. It energizes us and enlivens us. Play is so very different from worship rituals that require burnt offerings and sacrifices as to be its exact opposite.
Prayer: Spirit of Playfulness, help us to be a playful Presence with people.
Question: How could I be a bit more playful in my life?
August 17, 2014 Gospel Matthew 15:21-28 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time