Even the Dogs

From there he 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. Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’ Mark 7:24-37

We were always grateful to have a dog when we were children so we could smuggle the food we did not want to the dog. We have been grateful, as parents, to have a dog to clean up food left after the children were done. We've had a dog around all of our lives together. These days some dogs are treated better than human children, with no expense spared on boots and strollers and the like. But our Gospel was written in very different times, when dogs were never seen as children. They were solely for protection, guarding and herding, protecting sheep and people from thieves, predators and pests. The woman who begged Jesus to heal her child, was willing to be numbered among the dogs. She knew that Jews were not welcoming to "gentiles" and were not to touch or converse with them. Yet she broke down barriers for love, she stood up to the cultural assumptions. Jesus responding with healing to her fierce love. May we all be willing to break down barriers for love, so Jesus can bring healing to us all.

Precious Creator, you love beyond culture and clan

you heal all manner of people and feed the hungry

you make room at the table for stranger and outcast

and call us to love them like you always have.

We like our private clubs and our exclusive ways

we think our massing of wealth and power will save us

we are unwilling to share or break down barriers

yet we too were once strangers and outside the walls.

Help us, Lord Jesus, to make room at the table

give us the strength to move beyond our fears

Make us persistent like the Syrophoenician mother

so we might fight for those who only get the scraps. Amen.