A Humble and Sincere Expressin of Faith

Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Mark 7:24-30


We will always have questions about what Jesus the person was really like. When we imagine him in the world, we think of him as love and peace and grace personified. The gospel of Mark, however, shows us a very different picture of Jesus. He is a strong and compassionate leader, but he is sometimes stern, harsh and impatient with the Gentiles, and even with his disciples who don’t seem to understand much of what Jesus does, or what he teaches them.


The story of the Syrophoenician woman’s faith shows us that Jesus is driven by his mission to the people of Israel. It’s possible that Jesus was responding to this Gentile woman’s plea for help with a well known proverb similar to our saying “charity begins at home.” Jesus was on an urgent mission to the Jews, and his initial response might be the same as ours would be when we need to prioritize and take care of first things first. Even some of our very important work might have to be put on the back burner because we can’t be all things to all people all of the time.


The difference with Jesus is that he stopped and recognized the woman’s faith, and he made time to help her. He made an exception to his rule. He patiently and lovingly responded to her humble and sincere expression of trust in him, and by doing so, he acknowledged that she, the Gentiles, and all of us are included in the promise, and in the kingdom. Thanks be to God! Amen.