"Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" In this piercing question, Jesus challenges not just the Pharisees of his time, but believers across all ages. We often find comfort in religious systems and measurable practices, while divine commands focus on the less quantifiable matters of love, mercy, and justice. The danger comes when our traditions shift from being means to ends—when they become substitutes for, rather than expressions of, divine commands.

The Pharisees weren't villains but devoted individuals whose zeal, expressed through human systems, gradually displaced the very divine commands these systems were designed to uphold. Their story mirrors our own struggle to maintain traditions that serve as windows illuminating God's will rather than walls obscuring it from view. The challenge for us today remains: Are we willing to examine our cherished traditions to ensure they remain transparent to the divine purpose they were meant to serve?

In moments of divine encounter, what appears as resistance often masks a deeper invitation to faith. Through the imaginative lens of C.S. Lewis, we explore the fascinating story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 - a tale where apparent rejection transforms into profound acceptance. Like a veil that both conceals and reveals, Jesus's seemingly harsh response serves to illuminate one of the most powerful demonstrations of faith in the Gospels. Join us as we uncover how this troubling passage, when viewed through Lewis's keen spiritual insight, reveals timeless truths about persistence, humility, and the boundless nature of God's mercy.