The Triumph of the Syrophoenician Woman

Today’s Gospel reading for Mass (Mark 7:24-30) can be very challenging for the casual listener to hear. On the surface, it appears that Our Lord is acting rudely towards this Gentile Syrophoenician woman who is seeking liberation for her daughter from a demon that is afflicting her. With some exceptions here and there, we currently live in a pluralistic society today where discrimination against different nationalities is often frowned upon. We value the equal treatment of people from various nations regardless of their country of origin, religion, or their social status. The teaching of the Church has developed her doctrine concerning the infinite inherent dignity of every human being, whether male or female. Over the centuries, the Church has especially grown in her appreciation of the unique contribution of women to the Church and to her mission of evangelization and has sought ways to increase the involvement of women in more aspects of the Church’s life. However, despite these advancements in our understanding of human dignity, especially the dignity of women, we must remember that the global milieux was very different at the time of Christ. It is within the context of this milieux that Our Lord carries out his messianic mission. We must remember that there was a sharp distinction and even a separation between the Jewish and Gentile nations and that women did not have the same rights then that they enjoy today.

Likewise, it is difficult to make sense of today’s Gospel reading about the Syrophoenician woman, a Gentile, without considering the full context of chapter 7 of the Gospel of Mark. The chapter begins with the Pharisees and the scribes confronting Jesus about his disciples, who do not observe the tradition of the elders concerning the washing of hands before a meal. Jesus responds to the Pharisees by calling out their hypocrisy. He quotes from the prophet Isaiah who says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” He then accuses the Pharisees of favoring the traditions of men over the observance of the laws of God. He mentions the example of declaring goods or services as “Corban” (that is, dedicated to God), so that they could free themselves from the obligation of helping their parents. However, in obeying the tradition of the elders in this case, they disobey the commandment of God to honor one’s father and mother. Thus, they cover over their sin against the fourth commandment with a façade of piety in the form of dedicating something to God. In other words, the very ones who demand strict observance of small “t” tradition are committing a most grievous sin under the cover of piety.

Jesus then goes on to explain what it is that truly defiles a person. It is not what goes into a person from outside that defiles them, but what comes out of the person that defiles. A person is not defiled by the type of food they eat nor by eating with unwashed hands. Rather, what defiles a person is the sin that comes forth from his heart. Our Lord then provides a list of sins that come from the heart such as evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, envy, greed, slander, pride, and so on. These are the evil things that come from within and that defile a person. The evangelist Mark makes a side note during Jesus’ teaching about defilement confirming that the Lord has declared all foods clean. This is not merely a note about dietary laws but suggests an even deeper reality. Jewish dietary laws had been established so that the Jewish people might distinguish themselves from the Gentile nations. These laws made it very difficult for Jews to participate in meals with the Gentiles, thus protecting them from the potential of falling into idolatry. After all, if the Jews had been free to share meals with the Gentile nations, they may have easily been pulled into idol worship. The meat in which they would have partaken could likely have been sacrificed to an idol. Thus, the dietary laws were a means of protecting the Jewish people from the sin of idolatry.

However, an unfortunate side effect of such laws was the development of animosity between the Jews and the Gentiles. This does not mean that these two groups could never get along with one another. There are many instances in the Old Testament where the Jews collaborate with the Gentiles in different ways. However, considering that the sharing of meals in ancient times was a powerful sign of communion and mutual goodwill, it would have been nearly impossible for Jews and Gentiles to share meals together unless the Gentiles agreed to observe Jewish dietary laws. Everything changes, however, with the coming of Jesus Christ. He is the one who has come to tear down the barriers between Jew and Gentile and to unite them into one body, the mystical Body of Christ, the Church. As he declares all foods to be clean, he removes a significant barrier between these peoples so that they might be reconciled with one another in Christ.

At this point in chapter 7, Jesus enters Gentile territory and a Syrophoenician woman approaches him. She begs the Lord to cast out the demon from her afflicted daughter. There are two things that especially stand out from this encounter. First, it would have been unusual for a Gentile to even approach a Jew let alone talk to one without considering Jewish purity laws or societal norms. Second, as I mentioned before, women did not enjoy the same social status as men. Thus, in approaching Jesus in this way, she basically disregards all conventional social norms and boldly brings her request to Jesus. I think any ordinary mother with an afflicted child can relate with this woman. When you see your daughter suffering, you are willing to break with superficial norms and conventions to get help for your child. If the Pharisees had seen this exchange between Jesus and the Gentile woman, they probably would have a laundry list of complaints against Jesus on top of the issues I already mentioned. Yet Jesus does not turn this woman away; instead, he listens to her.

Now, when we modern listeners hear Jesus’ response, how he basically calls the woman a dog, we naturally cringe. Calling someone a dog sounds horrible to our ears. Well, this would also be considered offensive at the time of Jesus. In fact, some of the Jewish people might have referred to the Gentiles as dogs in a derogatory manner. If Jesus’ disciples had been present during this exchange between Jesus and the woman, they might have nodded their heads in agreement with this harsh description of the Gentiles. Thus, what Our Lord has said to the woman would have been considered an insult, even at that time.

It is at this point that the woman ultimately triumphs over the Lord by her response. She does not get angry or defensive nor does she return an insult for an insult. Rather, she responds with something that is a common practice even today, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” It seems universally true that even today, children like to feed their dogs from under the table, and that is just as true at the time of Jesus. The woman makes a bold request that challenges the norms and traditions at the time. In a sense, this Gentile woman is requesting a spot at the table with the children of the kingdom, the Israelites. Since the stage has already been set by the removal of dietary barriers between Jews and Gentiles, the Lord accedes to her request and her daughter is liberated.

Our Lord thus sets in motion the unification of Jews and Gentiles that would define the efforts of the early Church. As the Church incorporates people from various national and religious backgrounds into full communion, she addresses any challenges that threaten this communion. For instance, the Apostles consult with one another about the issue concerning Gentile converts to Christianity, whether they are required to observe the ritual purity and dietary precepts of the Mosaic Law. The apostles respond to this issue with charity and clarity as to remove any unnecessary barriers in the spirit of Jesus Christ, who desires a unified Church.

Even in our own time, there remains a need to remove barriers that stand in the way of the full unification in the Church. There have been great strides towards unification throughout the years, but more work is needed. One way that every person can contribute to the cause of unity and solidarity is to address the evil in their own hearts. While we are incapable of changing other people, it is always within our power to change ourselves by recognizing our own sinfulness, our prejudices, and our egoism, repenting of our sin, acknowledging our sin before the Lord in the sacrament of reconciliation, and making amends for any damage we have caused by our sin. Through careful self-examination and reflection, we can learn to modify our behavior and reevaluate our treatment of our fellow human beings whom we had previously looked down upon. We can come to the realization that these people have the same dignity as us and that they are deeply loved by God, just as we are, regardless of any superficial differences between us such as race, nationality, social status, or political views. It would be wise to pray for the grace to see every person we encounter through the eyes of Jesus. Then we will no longer look at other people, such as foreigners, and see enemies to be feared and destroyed but brothers and sisters whom God loves immensely and whom He wishes to bring into His eternal kingdom.

– Fr. Matthew Mary, MFVA