In today’s encounter between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman, we can observe again the crossing of societal norms. The woman, very much like the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years, was desperate, faithful, and bold. She was “Greek” and a “Syrophoenician by birth” meaning that she was a Gentile in religious observation and also by birth. She then entered the home where Jesus was staying uninvited and “fell at his feet.” She was willing to risk breaking the social taboo of speaking with Jesus on one hand and entering into the place where he was staying uninvited on the other! She did so with the sole purpose that her daughter would be healed.
Jesus meets her with the derogatory language of equating her with a dog, considered one of the most unclean of animals by Jews: “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (Mk 7:27). This woman would have none of Jesus’ rebuke, she wasn’t leaving without receiving an exorcism for her daughter, even if that meant she was putting her life in danger. Her retort, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps”, emphasized this point. It was also the key that opened the door for the disciples and us to witness a consistent pattern with Jesus.
Just as the woman who was experiencing the hemorrhage (cf. Mk 5:25-34), both women had the faith and courage to approach Jesus. The outcome of this encounter was also similar to the one that Jesus had with another Gentile, the Roman centurion, who said that he was not worthy for Jesus to enter under his roof. In both accounts, Jesus healed solely by his word from afar. What is important to Jesus is the person’s faith and belief in who he is, was, and always will be – the Son of God!
Jesus’ apparent rebuke to the woman was more a statement of fact. He did come to proclaim the Good News to the “children” first, the chosen ones, God’s children, the people of Israel. And how sad was the day as we saw not too long ago when Jesus came to proclaim this message to those in his hometown and so few had the faith of this woman before him, a Gentile. Her faith not only saved her daughter from the possession of a demon, but was the opening for the Gospel to also be proclaimed to other Gentiles as well as to the Jewish people willing to believe.
Do we have the courage, faith, and belief in Jesus as did the Syrophoenician woman? Are we willing to take the risk of countering pressures from others seeking to divert our closer walk with Jesus? When we let nothing hinder us, including relinquishing control and the reigns of being our own masters, acknowledging that God is God and we are not, believing that Jesus is truly the Son of God and that he is still present and active in our lives, miracles still do happen! Jesus said that if we have faith the size of the mustard seed, we can move mountains (cf. Mt 17:20) and what we ask for in prayer, we will receive (as we shall see in Mark 11:24).
Life is hard. We or someone we know may be facing conflicts, challenges, sorrows, trials, and/or tribulations. We may be experiencing opposing forces that feel as big as mountains, or it may appear that Jesus himself is refusing our plea. Be not afraid! Trust in Jesus! He cares and is present and may just be allowing this time of suffering to awaken a deeper faith that has been there all along but has not yet been actualized.
Embrace any and all of the range of challenges and emotions that you are experiencing and lay them at the feet of Jesus, and then take his hand. With Jesus all things are possible. We just need to believe and trust that our Lord is present with us especially in the midst of our pain and struggles. Jesus has not left us as orphans. We are not alone, but we do need to, as did the Syrophoenician woman, have faith that Jesus is who he says he is. Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, he is present, the kingdom of God at hand, he cares and loves us more than we can imagine, and he will see us through step by faithful step.
Photo: The Woman of Canaan at the Feet of Christ by Jean Germain Drouais.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 