Bishops encourage us to do something most catholics don't even know what it means

The United States Bishops have asked catholics to pray a novena for the election. I found out about it on their website. It's interesting because I think most American Catholics don't even know what a novena is, let alone to committing to pray for something for nine straight days....

It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

This harsh phrase was uttered by Christ in the Gospel this weekend toward a Canaanite woman. You can find it here. It seems rather uncharacteristic from the same man who wouldn't carry out a death sentence for a woman who was caught committing adultery despite the clarity of the law. (Although it appears our evangelical brothers and sisters are trying to eliminate this passage from the gospel.)

I think that we miss a nuance. I believe Jesus was "playing along" to make a point: If Jesus disciples think that a Canaanite is not worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, how are they going to deal with a Greek or a Gaulite? They need to see the universality of salvation and not be so exclusive. Jesus wants all people saved, not just the people we like.