Asked for the scrap of Bread, But she was given the Whole bread

Gospel Thoughts

*Ordinary Season : C Cycle : 5th Week - Thursday*

*GOSPEL - Mk 7:24-30*

*FIRST READING 1 Kgs 11:4-13*

*Asked for the scrap of Bread, But she was given the Whole bread*

*1) The Syrophoenician Woman*

The Gospel of the day has the reference to a   Syrophoenician woman

This Syrophoenician woman was not a Jewish woman, but she was a non Jew. 

So Jews considered this woman as gentile, impure and sinner since she didn't belong to the Jewish fold 

*2) She Comes to Jesus*

Even though she was a non-Jew she comes to a Jewish person for a favour 

Technically this appears to be a impossible possibility, since Jewish people would not entertain a non Jew woman 

But such an calculation proves to be wrong when the situation is faced by the woman infont of Jesus 

She comes to Jesus for a favour that is to heal her daughter from an evil spirit 

*3) Woman asks for a Scrap*

We need to pay a special attention to the word *Scrap* in this context 

Scrap is something which st times appears to be insignificant and useless 

Some times the scrap things are collected and thrown out, thinking that they are useless 

The word scrap has a very low meaning when it comes to the significance of it 

But such a *scrap* becomes the turning point and it steals the whole attention of the scene 

So the word *scrap* is not scrap but it is something great which turns the whole situation for a great miracle

*4) Woman asks for Scrap but given the Whole thing*

The woman's request was very clear. 

She is asking for a scrap which falls from the table of the master 

But Jesus gives not only the scrap but the whole bread in the form of healing her daughter from the possession from the evil spirit. 

*5) Woman's belief in the Scrap*

Woman had a special understanding of the Scrap 

For this Syrophoenician woman the Scrap is equal to bread since the scraps belong to the whole bread 

Woman knew that the whole bread and scrap had the same quality since it was the part of the bigger bread 

She saw a greater bread in the scrap and for her scraps of bread were enough to get the favour from Jesus 

So womans understanding of the scrap was not equal to the scrap but it was like a whole bread 

*6) Am I ready to receive the Scrap?*

Woman saw great things in the scrap and she got the great things from the scrap 

The scrap worked great miracle in her life, since the scrap had the same qualities of the bread. This is what she believed. 

What about my understanding of the scrap? 

Am I ashamed to receive thr scraps falling  from the masters table? 

Am I ignoring the scraps and fighting for the whole bread? 

What is my reaction to the scraps which fall from the masters table??

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*