Wednesday 5th June

Reflecting on the ninth Sunday in ordinary time, part 3

Where we have come from (readings for Sunday Jun 2):

1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43

Psalm 96:1-9

Galatians 1:1-12

Luke 7:1-10

Readings for today:

Psalm 5

Isaiah 56.1-8

Mark 7.24-30 

Brief thoughts for today:

The story from Mark's gospel raises lots of questions. Does Jesus really mean his first reply, or is he deliberately trying to provoke the syrophoenician woman to ask for the 'children's crumbs'? And is that for her sake, for the sake of onlookers, or perhaps for the sake of us the readers. This question is related to our understanding of Jesus - true God and true man. Does Jesus (true man) learn through this encounter about the universal nature of his mission? Whichever way it is, the event marks a turning point in the gospel story so that it  takes on more explictly the universal intent promised by Isaiah's hope.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.