She was a mother on a mission. It didn’t matter to her that in going up to Jesus, she was breaking at least three taboos: She was gentile. She was a foreigner. And she was a woman. All of these conditions made her automatically “unclean” and should have kept her out of the house where Jesus was trying to rest. But she was driven by love. She knew, somehow, that the rabbi who healed people in miraculous ways was in that house… and there was nothing that was going to keep her out.
When I read this story – I want to cheer on this Syrophoenician woman who dares to break through all sorts of barriers for the sake of her daughter. But I have to admit that there are parts of this story that I don’t like. I wish Jesus had not called this woman a dog. Some interpreters try to soften his words and ask us to assume that Jesus is just playfully calling her a puppy – as if that makes it any better. Some say he is testing her faith. Others remind us that in the Gospel of Mark Jesus is portrayed as a very human person who reflects the biases of the day.
And, some, like Dr. Caroline Lewis from Luther Seminary, remind us that in the Old Testament, there are times that God changes God’s mind, and it is always on the side of compassion. For example, when Moses came down from the mountain with the 10 commandments and discovered that the people were worshipping a golden calf, God was so angry that He was about to destroy them. But Moses prayed for the people and begged for compassion -– and God changed God’s mind and did not destroy them but instead showed compassion.
So, I wonder if Mark includes the exchange between the Syrophoenician woman and Jesus to show the power of love and prayer. Jesus’ mission had originally been to the Jewish people first, but he had left the Jewish countryside and gone into the Gentile territory. Perhaps he had gone there to rest but when confronted with this mother who is so focused on her mission of love that she refuses to be put off by traditional taboos or cultural stereotypes or slurs and who instead asks for just a crumb of grace, Jesus agreed with her –and gives her so much more.
Jesus opens up his mission and ministry to include not only her and her daughter but all people. Jesus demonstrates that God’s love and grace and mercy was and is not limited by geography or politics or gender or anything else.
The second story underscores this message. Jesus goes to the Decapolis, a city of gentiles, in an area that used to be outside of his mission. But people heard about his gift of healing and so, again, acting in love and with care, they bring to Jesus a man who could not hear or speak. Under the old cleanliness rules, this man would have been ostracized. But Jesus touches him, putting his hands in the man’s ears and on his tongue and heals him saying, “Be opened.” Be opened. The healing power of God’s love and grace and mercy knows no bounds.
Did you notice that in both stories, the people who are boldly asking Jesus for healing are asking for someone else? In the first story it was a mother asking for a daughter. And what mother wouldn’t. But in the second story, we don’t know who is acting on his behalf but a group of anonymous people gathered and they begged Jesus to heal this man. In both cases, people acting out of love and care asked Jesus for healing on behalf of someone else and their prayers were answered.
These two stories made me reflect on the prayers that have been made on my behalf -- especially when I was in an accident years ago that resulted in a head injury and coma. I literally could not pray for myself. But luckily for me, my mother was very much like the mother in the first story – she was persistent, and stubbornly determined to seek the health of her daughter. She not only prayed for me but she acted, enlisting the help of others both for prayer and for health care. When the doctors at the first hospital that I was in told her that my situation was hopeless and recommended that she look for a nursing home to put me in, she asked for a transfer. Again, luckily for me, one of the members of her church was a specialist in head injury trauma and he helped direct my recovery and enlisted the help of another doctor who I later learned was not only an expert in the field but was also a missionary doctor.
I was the recipient of the love and care and prayers of my mother and so many others with prayer chains stretching all over the country as well as excellent doctors and health care. And God heard these prayers – and I was healed.
My experience emboldened my prayers when my dear college roommate, Sharon, also suffered a head injury. She too ended up in a coma in which she could not pray for herself. Her mother and father were strong Christians and just as persistent and stubbornly determined to seek the health of their daughter as my mother had been. Again, a whole host of people across the country – including me –were fervently praying for Sharon. And yet… despite all of the prayers and supplications, Sharon died.
I was pretty frustrated that God did not answer my prayer and heal Sharon. She was just as worthy of health and healing as I was, her prayer network was at least as strong, and she was doing great work with inner city kids bringing them to the wilderness. Why did she have to die? I was incredibly sad – and angry that our prayers were not enough to summon a miracle.
Years later I visited her mother, Mary, and the conversation turned to Sharon. Mary confided that Sharon’s injury had damaged a crucial brain function and that the blood clot that burst and took Sharon’s life was a strange blessing – because she wasn’t sure Sharon would be happy living a less than full life. I had to agree. Sharon was one who loved to live life to the fullest. I had intended to offer Mary pastoral care that day – but it was Mary who ministered to me.
I was reminded that my way is not always God’s way because I know only a part, a piece of the story. This doesn’t mean that we should not boldly ask God for what we think we and the world around us needs. We should continue to pray as passionately and as persistently as the Syrophoenician woman did. Acting in love, we should be bold in asking God for health and healing for all who are hurting.
But, as I was reminded… that God is also with us when our prayers do not get answered in the way that we want. When my cousin Steve became ill and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, at his first healing service I held onto hope for a miraculous recovery. His pastor did too but she also prayed for healing that Steve be made whole and be at peace. After the service, there was a visible change in Steve – a sense of release and relief and peace. Steve’s healing wasn’t a return to health but he was made whole.
Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, let us pray – boldly – for all who are hurting and in need of care. Let us also pray for those with whom we disagree. In this time in which the world and our country and sometimes even families are at odds over so many other things –I invite you to pray for those who do not see things the way that you see them. For Jesus commanded us to love God and to love our neighbor. And the best way to show love to your neighbor – all of your neighbors – is to hold them all in prayer.
The song that we are about to sing is a sung prayer for healing and health, but also for the strength to love one another and to be kind to one another. As you sing, I invite you to not only pray for others but also receive the gift of healing and wholeness from the Holy Spirit, the Healer of our every ill.
May you be filled with compassion, peace and hope. Amen.
Faith -Lilac Way Lutheran Church September 5, 2021 Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane