St. Mark’s Lutheran

Note: The Readings are coming from the two year lectionary originally based in the Book of Common Prayer.

Readings
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
Galatians 4:12-20
Matthew 15:21-28 ESV

Meditation
The Matthew reading is one of those that is so “full of stuff” that keeping it to 150 words is tough. A Cannanite woman, the historic and hated enemy of Israel is the main character. The OT echos with the insults and the warning not to marry Cannanite women. This one approaches Jesus, “Lord, Son of David”…and he did not answer, not a word. The disciples go to Jesus and beg him…send her away, she is bothering us. Jesus answers the disciples by turning to the woman and saying…”I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (!?!) Where are the rebukes to the disciples? Where is the Jesus who answers prayer and is open to seekers? The woman is persistent. She kneels in begging, “Lord, help me.”…and Jesus answers with what sure sounds like an insult, “Its not fair to take the Children’s bread and throw it to dogs.” Is this the Jesus we knew, or know?

But this “enemy of Israel” answers, “Yes, Lord, yet…” Some translations have “Yes, Lord, but…” the point remians, but the amazing nature of the story is slightly altered by the “but.” This Canaanite woman is never confronting Jesus. Her answer is not a “yes, but” negation, her answer is larger. “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the master’s table.” This women fully expects that the scraps that fall are more than enough to heal her daughter. She does not argue for a seat, but believes the scraps are more than enough. “O woman, great is your faith.”

In an egalitarian era, it is hard to hear Jesus talk like that, maybe harder yet thinking of answering like this woman. I want my place at the table. I’ve got my rights. Yet, the Kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit. Paradoxically, when we demand less for ourselves, we are demanding more from God. When we are weak, He is strong. The scraps from the table are more than enough. “And her daughter was healed instantly.”

May the Lord help us all to live abundantly from His scraps until the heavenly feast.

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