It's not too late to begin to prepare for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time by taking a good look at the readings.
The Gospel reading for the day picture the disciples with curmudgeonly attitudes. They continue acting cranky and obstreperous as they encounter the Canaanite woman. This Gentile woman meets Jesus and his followers on her home turf, the district of Tyre and Sidon, and immediately accosts them and cries out, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon."
Jesus does not reply at all, and the disciples sense from his silence that he is blowing her off. So, ramping up their excitement and nastiness, they call out, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us."
It's like the disciples are saying, "Hey, lady! Curb your enthusiasm."
The disciples' hearts are in the right place, but their enthusiasm is just a bit overwhelming. These 12 see themselves as the chosen few, the cream of the crop, the entitled elite, the devoted dozen, the Lord's own Dream Team. They are passionate about Christ and don't have much interest in sharing their mentor with the unenlightened masses.
