Crumbs of Mercy

12Aug
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.” And when she went home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.
-Mark 7:24-30


Jesus had gone to the region of Tyre - Gentile territory - hoping to stay hidden, but even there, he was recognized. A woman whose daughter was tormented by a demon came to him and fell at his feet. Though she was not Jewish and had only heard about him secondhand, she still believed he could help.


His response is startling: “Let the children be fed first. It isn’t fair to take their food and throw it to the dogs.” In that moment, she is clearly outside the circle. But she doesn't leave. She stays with him—inside the metaphor—and replies, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” He was saying, in effect, that the blessings meant for Israel shouldn't be given to outsiders like her.


She doesn’t ask to be treated like an insider or argue her case. She simply believes that even a crumb of mercy is enough—and it is. With no touch and no spectacle, just a word, Jesus tells her the demon is gone, and healing reaches across every boundary.


Her faith—rooted in nothing but hope—is bold and clear. She doesn’t belong, but she dares to ask anyway. And in doing so, she shows us all something about the heart of God: mercy cannot be confined.


Sometimes we come to God full of certainty. Sometimes we come like this woman, asking only for a crumb. The good news is that even crumbs from the table of grace are enough to heal.


Musical Reflection - Crumbs from the Table - Stephen McWhirter


Loving God, thank you for hearing us, even when all we can ask for is a crumb. Help us trust in your mercy and believe that your grace is enough. Amen.

GospelPentecost Mercy

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