Mk 7: 24-30From 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.New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Recognizing How God Sees Us
By all accounts, the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel was a person others likely assumed would never have had her prayers answered by God. She knows how others see her, but that doesn’t stop her from approaching Jesus with her prayer request. She believes that no matter how others might view her, or even if God doesn’t think highly of her, she is still one of God’s children.She is a model for how we can approach God. We each have those areas of ourselves that we’d rather not think about, and would certainly not want others to know about. We keep them hidden, hoping others don’t notice. This woman approaches Jesus, and it appears that he challenges her, but perhaps it’s not the challenge we think it is. At first glance, it seems like a challenge meant to explain why she is not worthy, but perhaps it’s actually a question aimed at digging deeper so that she can discover her worth, and indeed she does; she recognizes that despite her flaws, she is still deserving of God’s love and attention.What does God want you to know about those parts of yourself where you don’t feel worthy? What does God want you to know about others who you might see as unworthy?—Robby Francis is the Director of Campus Ministry at Creighton University in Omaha, NE.
Prayer
God, help me to see myself the way you see me. Help me to look at my life and my situations through your eyes and realize that I am your child. I am enough. I am deserving of love and all the good you have brought into my life. Amen.—Robby Francis
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Mk 7: 24-30From 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.New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Recognizing How God Sees Us
By all accounts, the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel was a person others likely assumed would never have had her prayers answered by God. She knows how others see her, but that doesn’t stop her from approaching Jesus with her prayer request. She believes that no matter how others might view her, or even if God doesn’t think highly of her, she is still one of God’s children.She is a model for how we can approach God. We each have those areas of ourselves that we’d rather not think about, and would certainly not want others to know about. We keep them hidden, hoping others don’t notice. This woman approaches Jesus, and it appears that he challenges her, but perhaps it’s not the challenge we think it is. At first glance, it seems like a challenge meant to explain why she is not worthy, but perhaps it’s actually a question aimed at digging deeper so that she can discover her worth, and indeed she does; she recognizes that despite her flaws, she is still deserving of God’s love and attention.What does God want you to know about those parts of yourself where you don’t feel worthy? What does God want you to know about others who you might see as unworthy?—Robby Francis is the Director of Campus Ministry at Creighton University in Omaha, NE.
Prayer
God, help me to see myself the way you see me. Help me to look at my life and my situations through your eyes and realize that I am your child. I am enough. I am deserving of love and all the good you have brought into my life. Amen.—Robby Francis
Please share the Good Word with your friends!
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