REFLECTIONS TODAY

Jesus finds himself in the district of Tyre and then in the district of the Decapolis, both Gentile territories. The cure of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman and the deaf man with speech impediment are favors bestowed on those considered lo-ammi, those who are “not God’s people” (Hos 1:9). The second multiplication of the loaves and the feeding of the four thousand people also happen in the Gentile territory. 

Jesus has extended his healing activity to the Gentile world, which includes the feeding of the hungry. If in the first multiplication of the loaves (Mk 6:34-44), Jesus has fed the “children” (the Jews), here he acts out his acceptance of the principle accepted by the Syrophoenician woman, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps” (Mk 7:28). Jesus cajoles the woman by using the word kynários (κυναριοις), referring to little dogs, thereby reducing the derogatory word “dogs” to “puppies”, which is an expression of endearment. 

In fact, Jesus praises the faith of the Gentile woman and warns the Jewish religious leaders that outsiders, i.e., the Gentiles, will enter the Kingdom of heaven ahead of them (Lk 13:29-30). The Gentiles are fed on the table as children, no longer with scraps.

Gospel • Mark 8:1-10 

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.” 

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets. There were about four thousand people. 

He dismissed them and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.