Crumbs

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Crumbs

Mercy     Justice

Surpass Cultural Norms

Call of God Irrevocable

Everyone

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures: Romans 11:29

For the blessings and the call of God are irrevocable.

Matthew 15:26 to 28

Jesus replied to the Canaanite woman who was seeking a cure for her daughter,

"It is not allowed that the food that should be given to the children is shared with the dogs."

She said, "Lord, even the dogs get to eat from the crumbs that fall down from the table of their owners."

Jesus replied, "Your faith is extraordinary! It will be done for you just as you have asked."

At that very moment her daughter was healed.

Reflection

How do you feel when you are given just a few crumbs?

We might respond by saying that it all depends on the crumbs we are getting!

In this passage from Matthew Jesus is trying to let this woman know that He must minister first to the children of Israel. As St. Paul says in Romans, the call was given to our Jewish sisters and brothers and that call is irrevocable. Jesus is focused on speaking first to the Jewish people.

This woman was a Canaanite. They were not part of the Jewish community and in many ways they had tried to distract the Israelites from their covenant with God.

Her faith in Jesus overcomes every obstacle and cultural norm. She loves her daughter and truly believes that Jesus could help her.

How did she come to that belief? The "crumbs" that she had experienced as she heard people talk about Jesus and as she followed Him fed her faith. She knew Jesus was special. 

Her story is a challenge to our faith. Do we truly believe that Jesus can heal us? 

Faith transcends the divisions that we make. Jesus looks into the heart of the person and not the labels that we might put on that person. Jesus comes for everyone.

His "crumbs" are as extraordinary as the faith of this Canaanite woman.

Enjoy them!

1. Why does Jesus say that He must first minister to the children of Israel?

2. How did the Israelites feel about the Canaanites?

3. Is your faith as strong as that of the Canaanite woman?

4. Have you received any "crumbs" from Jesus recently?

5. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)