Listening, Learning, Loving
Mark 7:24-30
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.
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When I brought up this passage a few weeks ago, you didn't think I would forget, would you? On the one hand, we have Jesus, a rabbi in a position of power. And, on the other hand, we have the Syrophoenician woman, who possesses no social influence, is an outsider, and well, a woman in a culture who didn't value her views. It doesn't seem like a fair match-up, yet there is a surprise waiting to be uncovered. Today we come upon a story of confrontation, listening, and learning between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman that serves as a reminder of the boundless and abounding love of God.
A Story With Differing Views
Perspective: The Syrophoenician Woman
Imagine for a moment what it must have felt like to stand in the place of the Syrophoenician woman. You have a child sick at home in need of healing, and you've heard about this prophet Jesus who has gone around the region performing miraculous sights. Wouldn't you do everything in your power, as little as that may be, to help them? Then, finally, one day, you have the opportunity to see Jesus in action, and you hope that he might hear your request. However, as you stand there and beg, Jesus responds with a cryptic riddle that you may even find offensive; you think, "Is Jesus calling me a dog?"
Perspective: Jesus
Now place yourselves in the footsteps of Jesus. Yes, you know that you are God incarnate; however, at the same time, you are also fully human. And being fully human means that you were raised a certain way, in a particular cultural and historical context. That's by no means a bad thing, and it only shows that each of us possesses a specific set of life experiences that shape how we interact with the world. So when you see this Syrophoenician woman asking for help, you aren't sure what to make of it. You were called to be a prophet for God's chosen people, which is correct, but maybe there's more to it than that.
A Story Without A Hero/Heroine Or A Villain
Standing in-between these two perspectives, we should note that today in this reading, there are no heroes/heroines or villains to be found, only people. People who engage in dialogue and witty banter that leads to a revelation for us all to take to heart, a revelation that should alter the way we think, speak, and act. The act of listening and learning is a lost art in our culture today. Instead of listening to what is being said from the heart, from those in pain, we instead think of a response before they finish. And instead of getting to know the stranger, our neighbor, we let preconceived notions, biases, and fear shape our understanding.
After being called a dog in Jesus' veiled riddle, the Syrophoenician woman could have ended the conversation with Jesus and simply walked away; it would have been easy to walk away, wouldn't it? But, instead, the Syrophoenician woman turns the tables, and she expands Jesus' riddle, even using the same language that Jesus does, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Thus, the author of the Gospel of Mark gives us reason to pause and reflect on the words of this outsider. Even more so, the author of the Gospel of Mark introduces a moment to ponder the fact that her argument sways Jesus to see the "error" of his frame of thinking.
A Story About Us, About Generosity, About Abundant Grace
This is the beautiful irony found within the Gospel of the Mark; inside the story of God's amazing love, there is an earthiness that invites us to place ourselves in the place of those we read about today. The author asks that we see that there is enough at the table of God; in fact, there is more than enough. Today's point is critical for the ancient readers of this text because it tears down the artificial walls that kept those unwanted out and separate from the "in" group. For the early Judeo-Christian community, this meant the gentile Christians were not lesser members, and for us today, that no person, no individual, is illegal, condemned, unwelcomed, unloved, too poor, un-educated enough, or you name it. The table of God welcomes all.
What if we shut ourselves off from the external sources around us that stir up fear of the stranger, the foreigner, the refugee? What if we shut ourselves off from the external sources that tell us there isn't enough to go around, that only the bottom line is what matters and if there isn't enough to care for the least of these, well let them starve, they deserve it. What if we ignored all those things and focused only on this story of Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman as a model for what it means to live a life of grace? Wouldn't that change the world beneath our feet in this very time and place?
It is what we celebrate this day as we partake of the Lord's Supper. We celebrate the gospel truth that there is enough and everyone has a seat or place at the table. So may this World Communion Sunday, a day where we celebrate with Christians worldwide, and our text for today calls us to listen, love, and open our hearts in empathy. The importance of listening and learning to those who are on the margins or have been disenfranchised has not changed from biblical times, and neither has the Holy Spirit's power to take us out of our places of comfort to expand in us the meaning of what it means to live as people created in the image of God. Amen.