Bread for the Children… and the Dogs!

“But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:25-26)

I love working with the lectionary, as each week it provides me with three readings, and I get to choose which reading I focus on, except on the weeks when I don’t.

Sometimes, the list includes a reading that creates such a mess when you read it you have to go and clean it up. This week’s Gospel that tells of Jesus calling a foreign woman a … (I can’t use the word) – a female dog is one such reading!

Yes, the woman was a pain in the neck, and, yes, this happens just when Jesus was tired and trying to get a break. Even so, Jesus doesn’t use that sort of language, does He, and He would surely never disrespect anyone, would He?

Perhaps we should pause here and give this incident some context, as this story really begins a chapter earlier where we read, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” (Matthew 13:14)

What ‘had happened’ was that John the Baptist had been killed by King Herod, and this evidently affected Jesus deeply. Jesus and John were close, and not only were they friends and relatives, but their work, as we know, was deeply linked.

When John is killed, Jesus tries to get some space to pray. Indeed, Jesus makes at least three attempts to get away, all of which are radically unsuccessful.

On his first attempt, Jesus found an isolated space, but everyone followed Him. He ended up having to feed them all out in the desert (Mark 14:13-21).
Then He sent everyone home and told the disciples to meet Him on the other side of the lake while He went up into the hills alone to pray, but the disciples got into trouble, and He had to walk directly across the lake to reach them!
In this third attempt, Jesus goes into Gentile territory – to the region of Tyre and Sidon – an area where He knew no Jew would follow Him.

This time it seems Jesus succeeded in finding space, and then this pushy woman starts following Him, shouting, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.”

Sometimes you do have to say ‘no’.

I learnt that a long time ago. When I started as parish priest in Dulwich Hill in 1990, I figured I should follow the commandment of Jesus to “give to those who ask” (Matthew 5:42) and always kept a small stack of five-dollar notes in my wallet to give to those who would come to the rectory door asking for money until I ran out!

I still remember the guy, rather obnoxious and stroppy, not reacting well when I said I had nothing for him. “I’ll wait while you go to the ATM,” he said and added, “It’s your job to help me.” I got a bit stroppy myself and said, “No, it’s not my job to help you!”

That’s basically what Jesus says to this woman too – you are not my job. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)

That doesn’t put the woman off, of course. She falls down and begs Him, we’re told, to which Jesus responds, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)

The International Standard Version translates this as ‘puppies’, of course, which sounds a little better. The word used – kunarion – is indeed a diminutive form of the normal word for ‘dog’ (kuōn) and hence can mean ‘little dog’ or even ‘pet dog’. Even so, it’s hardly a compliment!

Was Jesus being playful? Was the testing done on her? Was He… What was he doing? In truth, I don’t know, but we do know what happens next …

“It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” says Jesus. She barks back, “Even the puppies pick up the scraps that fall from the children’s table.”

And Jesus is impressed! Indeed, He seems shocked! “Great is your faith, woman! Off you go. Be assured that your daughter is doing just fine.”

This is what the woman wanted, and off she goes. Even so, it’s hard to know what Jesus meant when he complimented her great faith because she’s not, recognisably, a woman of faith. She’s not, at any rate, attached to any approved faith tradition. She’s not a Jew, nor even a Samaritan. She’s a Canaanite – an idol worshipper!

This woman was not taking her stand alongside the apostle Peter, saying, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), as she wouldn’t have known what that sentence meant. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David” was probably about as much religious language as she could muster!

Stupidity and stubbornness – that’s what she displayed, and I suspect that is the essence of faith. This unnamed woman was stupid enough to think that Jesus could do for her what nobody else could do, and she was stubborn enough to persist with Jesus even after he called her a dog!

Stupidity and Stubbornness – I know we prefer to use more flattering labels such as ‘daring’ and ‘perseverance’. Let’s just call them what they are: stupidity and stubbornness.

It’s what faith is all about! Of course, I’m biased in defining faith this way, as these are qualities I have in abundance, and I see these same qualities richly displayed in a great many of my friends and supporters too!

I’m still aiming for a world title fight at age 64. That’s pretty stupid. Of course, they told me I was stupid when I made my debut as a professional boxer at age 34 and that I was even more stupid to keep going – getting continually punched in the head to raise funds for the ministry. There had to be an easier way to do it.

And yes, I’m stupid enough to think I could still change the world with my fists! Do any of you think you’re up to being as stupid and stubborn as me, or even as stupid and stubborn as the unnamed Canaanite woman we celebrate in today’s gospel?

It’s a curious story – Jesus’ encounter with this loud and disruptive foreign woman – but she shows us what real faith looks like. It’s not pretty. Indeed, it’s loud and confronting and annoying! Even so, it moved Jesus, and it can move mountains still!

Our Sunday Eucharist

We enjoyed another wonderful Eucharist together last Sunday. John Jegasothy and I had the privilege of welcoming Pastor Rob Robayna to the panel for the first time. Pastor Rob had a few technical troubles and disappeared just before the Gospel reading. Even so, I’ve clipped his insights below from our Bible Banter on Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 10.

The Romans 10 clip also features some powerful insights from AI Saint Paul, who speaks of Romans 10 as a “symphony of inclusivity”. That’s a powerful phrase that caps a great discussion. Scroll down towards the end of today’s newsletter to find it.

You’ll find this week’s most popular short videos (‘reels’) immediately below. I published a collection of reels this week focused on the former Grand Mufti of Syria, Dr Hassoun. Inevitably, they get a lot of hits, as Dr Hassoun has a big following, especially on Facebook.

You can see all our reels on the Sunday Eucharist Instagram page and all our videos (long and short) on Rumble.

This Sunday I’m hoping to have two old friends back with me on the panel – Brynn Reese and Dr Andrew Madry.

I say ‘hoping‘, as Brynn will be on the road, and getting a solid Internet connection in the areas he traverses can be difficult. Even so, I’m hoping to have him with us for a little while, as he has significant news to share about the way the government seems to be disarming the farming community! Of course, Andrew may have his own disturbing updates on the medical community! I’m looking forward to it very much.

Join us please on Sunday from noon on Rumble, Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Instagram, Faithia or StreamYard.

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What’s On?

Saturday, August 15th – Boxing at the Legends Gym in Kensington from 3 pm
Sunday, August 16th – Our Eucharist from noon @thesundayeucharist.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Faithia, StreamYard and Rumble
Monday, August 17th – Boxing at Brofit Gym in Bankstown from 6.30 pm
Thursday, August 20th – Noon Bible Study @www.thesundayeucharist.com/bible
Thursday, August 20th – Boxing at the Mundine Gym in Redfern from 7 pm.
Friday to Sunday, August 21 to 23 @Binacrombi. Please join me.

I hope you’ve had a good week. It’s been another busy one for me – regularly getting to bed at 3am or 4am due to late-night conference calls with friends around the world who are coming together in support of our Syrian brother, Sheikh Hassoun.

It is encouraging to see the breadth of the grassroots support for the former Grand Mufti of Syria. His trial is now over. The verdict will be given in ten days’ time. The current state of the Syrian courts and government gives us little reason to hope. Even so, as our Gospel reading today reminds us, faith is never bound by rationality.

You may have heard that the same court just handed down death sentences for former Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. The irony that these Al Qaeda leaders should be passing judgement on others for crimes of violence is palpable.

Of course, former President Assad is well out of reach – safely ensconced in Russia – and so the bloodlust of the new government may well now focus on the former mufti. He has already been tortured, and his health is failing. Even so, I was told that he smiled and his eyes welled with tears when my name was mentioned and he was told we were trying to help. Apparently, he prays for me each day too as I do for him.

That’s enough on dear Dr Hassoun, as my eyes are tearing up now, too. Please do keep praying, though – for Dr Hassoun, for his family and for all the people of Syria (especially members of minority groups, like Syrian Christians).

If you’re available to join me in the bush next weekend (August 21 to 23), it will be a great weekend. I’ll be participating in a church retreat there, teaching my breathing, chanting and prayer routines and, of course, doing some boxing. We still have space available, but let me know ASAP, please.

May the Lord bless and strengthen you for the work to which you have been called.

Your brother in the Good Fight,