Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 5th September 2021
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 35 v4-7a; Psalm 146; James 2 v1-17; Mark 7 v24-37.
Compassion and Faith.
In the passage from Mark’s gospel we read that Jesus had travelled from Galilee towards the Mediterranean Sea and was staying near the town of Tyre in Phoenicia, a region of Syria.
Mark says that ‘Jesus did not want people to know he was there, but they found out anyway’.
(Mark 7 v24).
A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard where Jesus was. And straight away she came and knelt down at his feet. (v25).
The mother of the sick child had obviously heard of Jesus, a man with a reputation as a healer, and as a man of God.
She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said, “The children must first be fed! It isn’t right to take away their food and feed it to the dogs.” The woman replied, “Lord, even dogs eat the crumbs that children drop from the table.” Jesus answered, “That’s true! You may go now. The demon has left your daughter.” (v26b-29).
In this encounter between Jesus and a feisty ‘Greek’ mother, Mark portrays Jesus as giving voice to Jewish prejudice against non-Jews. (A foot-note in my Bible explains that Jewish people often referred to Gentiles (non-Jews) as dogs.) The ‘children’ that Jesus spoke of can be understood to refer to the people of Israel, implying that Jesus came to minister to the Jews first.
The unnamed woman is happy to indulge Jesus in his teasing of her status as a non-Jew and she counters with a ready wit of her own.
Her underlying faith is in Jesus the healer, the man of God who will heal people regardless of their ethnicity, status or wealth. She trusts in a God who created the world and every living being, a God of justice, mercy and love.
Jesus recognises her faith, her love for her daughter and her courage in coming forward to seek his help. Despite his teasing, the result was never in doubt. The compassion of Jesus would always win over ill-informed prejudice based on the false notion that God was exclusively for the Jews. Jesus knew that God’s love was, is and ever will be, for all people, of all nations, of every generation.
The title of this year’s Methodist Prayer handbook is ‘A Place for All’. The following prayer by Roger Cresswell, can be found in the section on Justice. (p8).
Creator God, as I meet other people, each one different from me, I reflect on the fact that, if you love me, then surely you love all you have made, and in your creation there is a place for all.
Lord Jesus Christ, you showed those you met a love marked by generosity and compassion that not only transformed their lives but now inspires and challenges me to follow your example.
Holy Spirit, empower me to love and serve others, and to use the opportunities and resources I have in ways that show there is a place for everyone in the kingdom of God. Amen.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.