Case for Crumbs
There is a time and a place for everything, but sometimes the timing can be made right.
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." - Mark 7:24-29
Today's Gospel reading has an important message for all of us who play by the rules.
If it really matters enough to want to change the rules, we may be able to make it happen.
Jesus seems mean when he tells the woman she is not one for whom the gift is given, and yet she persists, asking instead for just what is left over, and he grants her wish.
Does he have a change of heart, or is something else going on here we should pay attention to?
I think Mark included this story in the Gospel to remind us that we need more than faith. We need to be fully committed to our faith and believe God will listen to us.
Jesus told his disciples that what they ask for in his name will be given, so we should have no doubt when we pray, but if what we pray for is not granted, we shouldn't give up.
Like the woman who would accept anything, we should be persistent and plead our case for crumbs, for who can deny such a request?
If we put ourselves in Jesus' position and try to say no to someone in need, we may discover how difficult it is to deny someone even a small amount of what they request.
If we have a hard time holding back, surely God who loves us more than we love each other will grant what we ask.
So, let us have faith, yes, but let us also be committed to keeping that faith alive, by not giving up when the answer seems to be no.
We have nothing to lose but our pride.
More to come...