The Canaanite Woman and Assiduity

Ave Maria!  On Sunday morning, I posted a sermon by St. John Chrysostom on the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).  Later in the day I came across Fr. Ted's Blog, which notes the following commentary on this sermon by Orthodox Biblical scholar Fr. Stanley Harakas. 

What precisely was the Canaanite woman’s inner spiritual virtue that Jesus wanted to reveal so that she would be blessed with the healing of her daughter and so that the disciples (and we) could profit spiritually? In his explanation, St John Chrysostom uses the word "assiduity" in his translation. This older English word is a characteristic of a person who is diligent, energetic, industrious, persevering, persistent resolute, and zealous. No wonder Jesus said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire"!

Chrysostom explains: "Never mind,” he says, “that you are unworthy. Become worthy by your assiduity. For it is possible both that the unworthy should become worthy from his assiduity, and that God assents more when called on by ourselves than by others."

Assiduity!  Now there's a word we rarely see or hear these days.  And what a jam-packed word!  So rich and powerful!  As Fr. Harakas points out, assiduity is made up of many fine and desirable things:

diligence, which is attentive care;

energy, which is vigor or power;

industry, which is steady or habitual effort;

perseverance, which is steadfastness;

persistence, which is tenacity;

resoluteness, which is unwavering determination; and

zeal, which is eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something.

WOW!  Nothing would do but for me to search for a translation of this particular sermon by St. John C. wherein the word "assiduity" is used rather than "perseverance."  I found it here, numbers 12 and 13 at the end of the page.  In short, he says:  "But you are unworthy. Become worthy by your assiduity....by assiduity of soul we shall be able to become worthy...For nothing -- nothing is more powerful than prayer when fervent and genuine."

Dear Lord, with a bit of trepidation and a whole lot of humility, I ask You for the grace of assiduity.  Amen.