The Gospel of Mark 7:24-37
Jesus 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.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, We come before You, inspired by the faith of the Syrophoenician woman who sought healing for her daughter. Grant us the same unwavering faith and persistence in our prayers. Just as Jesus healed her daughter, we ask for Your healing touch upon those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit. Open our hearts to Your love and mercy and help us to trust in Your divine plan. May we always seek Your presence and guidance in our lives. Lord Jesus, as You opened the ears of the deaf man and loosened his tongue so he could speak plainly. We pray that You open our ears to hear Your Word and our hearts to understand it. Help us to be compassionate and attentive to the needs of others, showing kindness and care as You did. May we be instruments of Your peace, bringing healing and wholeness to those around us. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may proclaim Your works and glorify Your name. Amen.
In this week’s gospel we encounter two significant stories: the healing of the Syrophoenician (1) woman’s daughter and the healing of a deaf and mute man. These passages highlight themes of compassion, inclusion, and spiritual growth. Jesus travels to the region of Tyre, seeking some solitude, but a Gentile woman finds him and begs for her daughter’s healing. Initially, Jesus responds with a statement that seems harsh, implying that his mission is first to the children of Israel. However, the woman’s persistent faith and humility lead Jesus to heal her daughter, demonstrating that faith transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries. Though she was a Gentile, she expresses significant faith in Jesus, referring to Him as Lord and also by His Messianic title, Son of David. In addition, she asks Jesus to have mercy on her. Jesus does not immediately reply to her. Naturally, we would ask, why wait? We must realize that Jesus is all-knowing. He knows what He is going to do. From the beginning, he plans to heal this child. However, it appears that He wants to test this woman’s faith. It is to her benefit to keep trying in her request before receiving an answer. It is also beneficial to the crowd and the disciples to see her persistence and faith. The fact that she went to seek Jesus out shows that she had heard accounts of Him and had faith in Him to help her daughter. He wanted to encourage the woman to keep asking him to cast the demons out of her daughter. This should remind us that God doesn’t always answer prayer right away, and sometimes he doesn’t answer prayers in the way we want him to answer them. Sometimes He answers them in a way to teach us a lesson. Jesus did not send her away, here we can perhaps get a clue of Jesus’ intention to finally grant this woman’s request. He does not send away the woman like the disciples ask and like He could have done. Why not? It seems that the only reasonable answer is that He fully intended to do what this lady requested, but only after she and His disciples had learned the lessons, He wanted for them. The fact that Jesus would even engage with her and finally grant her request shows us that he was not racist or rude, as some wrongly conclude from this passage. The lesson was Compassion. Despite initial reluctance, Jesus shows deep compassion by healing the woman’s daughter.
The gospel continues in the Decapolis region, people bring a deaf and mute man to Jesus. Jesus takes him aside, performs a unique healing ritual, and the man is healed. This act of healing is another testament to Jesus’ compassion and power. Jesus’ personal and gentle approach to healing the man shows his deep care for individuals. By healing a man in a predominantly Gentile region, Jesus again demonstrates that his ministry is for all people. The man’s healing leads to widespread amazement and glorification of God, encouraging others to grow in their faith. Reflecting on these passages, we see a clear message of God’s boundless compassion and the call to include all people in our spiritual journey. Let us pray for the strength to show compassion, the openness to include others, and the faith to grow spiritually. Jesus is for everyone, but what really matters is our relationship with God. Part of that relationship includes regular prayer time with God. How we pray does not matter. For example, it is the custom today for people to close their eyes and bow their heads when they pray, but when Jesus healed the deaf man, he looked to heaven when he prayed. There are no standards or postures for prayer. Prayer is about a person’s heart. Let us Pray: Lord, help us to embody your compassion and inclusivity in our daily lives. Grant us the faith to persist in our spiritual journey and the grace to welcome all into your loving embrace. Amen.
(1)The woman who, having heard of Jesus’s ministry, sought healing for her daughter (Mark 7:26). She is also referred to as a Greek, i.e., as a Gentile. The term “Syrophoenician” indicates that this woman was from Phoenicia, located in the Roman province of Syria, or, more specifically, from the area of the old cities of Tyre and Sidon. In the parallel passage (Matt 15:22), the woman is called a “Canaanite,” an ancient geographical designation that would have included this area.
Reflections by Bob 