The daily Word of God

febrero 8, 2024

Weekday in Ordinary Time or?St Jerome Emiliani; St Josephine Bakhita, Virgin

Mark 7:24-30 "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."

First Reading: 1 Kings  11:4-13

When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, 
          and his heart was not entirely with the Lord, his God, 
          as the heart of his father David had been. 
By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, 
          and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites, 
          Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord; 
          he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done. 
Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab, 
          and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites, 
          on the hill opposite Jerusalem. 
He did the same for all his foreign wives 
          who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 
The Lord, therefore, became angry with Solomon, 
          because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, 
          who had appeared to him twice 
          (for though the Lord had forbidden him  
          this very act of following strange gods, 
          Solomon had not obeyed him). 
  
So the Lord said to Solomon: "Since this is what you want, 
          and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes 
          which I enjoined on you, 
          I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant. 
I will not do this during your lifetime, however, 
          for the sake of your father David; 
          it is your son whom I will deprive. 
Nor will I take away the whole kingdom. 
I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David 
          and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm   106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40

R./ Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Blessed are they who observe what is right, 
          who do always what is just. 
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people; 
          visit us with your saving help.  
R./ Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

But they mingled with the nations 
          and learned their works. 
They served their idols, 
          which became a snare for them.  
R./ Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

They sacrificed their sons 
          and their daughters to demons. 
And the Lord grew angry with his people, 
          and abhorred his inheritance.  
R./ Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Gospel Introduction
     Despised pagans too, are offered salvation. The doctors of the Law had called the region where Jesus worked this miracle, a region of dogs. God lifts up the lowly who believe. Grace is no exclusive privilege for God's people. The kingdom is also for pagans.

Gospel Reading: Mark  7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre. 
He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, 
          but he could not escape notice. 
Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. 
She came and fell at his feet. 
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, 
          and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 
He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. 
For it is not right to take the food of the children 
          and throw it to the dogs." 
She replied and said to him, 
          "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." 
Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. 
The demon has gone out of your daughter." 
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed 
          and the demon gone.

Missionaries without borders

Today’s Gospel speaks of a desperate mother who would do anything for her child’s health. In today’s terms, Jesus’ response to this pagan woman was harsh and offensive. In the Jewish world of the time, however, there was nothing inappropriate about it. It perfectly reflected the attitude of Jews who referred to Gentiles as dogs.

Being in a position that involves power, be it in the Church, the family or our workplaces, we would love to see our desires and decisions accepted and executed. A company manager reversing his decision at the request of a sweeper or a parish priest reconsidering his plan of action at the request of parishioners are not everyday events. 

The foreign woman’s love for her daughter makes Jesus change his mind. He seemed to submit himself to a conversion of heart. The process of conversion involves identifying prejudices, letting go of them, and broadening one’s perspectives.Jesus teaches us how to set aside our deep prejudices to bring healing to the world beyond the religious boundaries. We are called to be missionaries without borders!

In today’s Gospel, we’re encouraged to open up our homes and hearts to those who differ in many ways, so we can incorporate them into our faith community.

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