Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
MORE THAN CRUMBS
Why are men and women attracted to one another? Love is stronger than death and stronger than the bonds with parents. They become one chair, most of all in the chair of the child. Human beings are social, and need an equal partner, created from near the heart of man, “flesh from my flesh and bone from my bones.” And now, the man can say “you, thou.”
Despised pagans too, are offered salvation. The doctors of the Law had called the region where Jesus worked this miracle a region of dogs. God lifts up the lowly who believe. Grace is no exclusive privilege for God’s people. The kingdom is also for pagans.
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-25
God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” So God formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn’t find a suitable companion.
God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man.
The Man said,
“Finally! Bone of my bone,
flesh of my flesh!
Name her Woman
for she was made from Man.”
Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh.
The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame.
Gospel Mk 7:24-30
From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn’t think he would be found, but he couldn’t escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet, begging for help. The woman was Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth. She asked him to cure her daughter. He said, “Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there’s any left over, the dogs get it.” She said, “Of course, Master. But don’t dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?” Jesus was impressed. “You’re right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone.” She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good.
Prayer
Father of all,
long ago you chose the people of Israel
to make your name known to all nations.
Your Son Jesus Christ, made it clear
that forgiveness and life are the share
of all who believe in him.
Make your Church truly a place of encounter
for all those who grope for you,
that all obstacles and barriers may be removed
and that the riches of all nations and cultures
may reveal the thousand faces of the love you show us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Reflection:
9 February 2023
Mark 7:24-30
A call for conversion from prejudices
Today’s Gospel speaks of a desperate mother who would do anything for her child’s health. The woman in the Gospel did not believe in the God of Israel when she approached Jesus. But for the sake of her daughter, she was not ashamed of coming in front of the public and pleading before Jesus. Curiously enough, Jesus’ response to this pagan woman was harsh and offensive. But, it wasn’t anything inappropriate in the Jewish world of the time. It perfectly reflected the attitude of Jews to Gentiles. Jews of the days of Jesus commonly referred to Gentiles as dogs. However, the refusal to respond to obvious human needs seemed uncharacteristic of Jesus.
Jesus was gaining recognition as a preacher and miracle worker. We seldom find Jesus changing his decisions. The Gospel today presents the freedom or flexibility of Jesus for changing his discourse or the way he acted when circumstances called for it.
Being in a position that involves power, be it in the Church, the family or our workplaces, we would love to see our desires and decisions accepted and executed. To have the boss of a company reverse his decision at the request of an ordinary janitor or the parish priest to reconsider his plan of action at the request of his parishioners are not every day experience.
The foreigner woman’s love for her daughter challenges the assumption of Jesus. And Jesus changes his mind. The breaking-in of the Kingdom into the life of the girl was the result not just of the action of Jesus but of the faith and concern of the mother as well. Jesus seemed to allow himself to be subject to the conversion of heart, which he demanded from his disciples. Conversion is often a process of identifying our prejudices, letting go of them, and broadening one’s attitudes. Jesus sets aside his prejudices and healed the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman.
Today’s Gospel invites us to open our homes and hearts to those who differ in many ways, so that we may do all we can to integrate them into our Christian community. May there be room in our lives, and in our Christian communities, for all people, whatever their race or religion, culture or education.