God’s saving grace is without frontiers.

By Msgr. John Wynand Katende

Posted on: Friday 14th August 2026

By default, human beings are selfish, arrogant, and sometimes even cruel. We use other people for our own ends. We fall short even of our own low standards. 

The topic I have chosen arises from questions that any believer may be asking, concerning God’s ways and approach to the very human beings He has created. Would that God be fair or even just, if He discriminated against His creatures? Would He be in order to love some and even hate and reject others? Have we ever wondered if that might be our own kind of God?

We read in Matthew 15:25-28 that at one time, during His ministry, Jesus went, with His disciples, into the region of Canaan.  While there, a woman begged Him to heal her daughter who was being tormented by Satan. But Jesus chose to ignore her. The woman raised her voice the more on the same subject. But, this time, the disciples reacted by asking their Master to send her away. Jesus reacted by telling the woman that He came not for the Gentiles, but for the Jews. Jesus further disappointed the woman by saying that He could not offer children’s bread to dogs. For that is how the Jews called Gentiles, thinking that God was of the same attitude. 

Nevertheless, all of this did not discourage the woman, but only made her more hopeful, but with great humility. Jesus knew this would be a great lesson for his disciples: that God gives the supernatural gift of faith to whom He wills. It was on the basis of the woman's unwavering faith that Jesus healed her daughter.

At this juncture, one has the right to wonder as to what reason that Jesus had in mind when He chose to go to the Gentiles! Discipling must have been the primary cause. Discipling is the active process of teaching, guiding, and mentoring someone to follow a specific set of teachings or a way of life. The disciples would, then, be able to make the God of Jesus known to others, for the salvation of the whole world; but beginning with the Jews. The disciples also learnt a big lesson that by discriminating against people, in their ministry, they would not only be committing the sin of omission, but also, indirectly sacrificing people’s souls under continued dominion of Satan.

To bring out Jesus’ message further, Jesus would later, in the life of the early Church, dramatically convert Paul, formerly Saul, for a special apostolate to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7). All this was to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 2:2-3, that all nations would worship God in His holy temple of Jerusalem. It was in Jerusalem that Jesus redeemed all nations from the bondage of Satan and sin by dying on the cross and rising again. In Him all nations are to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).

Ultimately, we are reminded that God created all people in their different races. He therefore loves everyone and desires for all to be saved, irrespective of nationalities (1 Timothy 2:4-6). Loving God requires active love, mercy, and service toward all neighbors, embodying His inclusive kindness on earth. That is why we need to pray for all people to be saved, and engage into missionary work for their salvation, beginning from wherever we are.