It can be difficult to hear this Gospel today unless we understood what was going on culturally between the Jews and the pagans living in the region of Tyre. The Jews were people of the covenant and had an advanced religious life and tradition as Children of God, while the woman came from worshippers of false gods and lived in a city where the market was more important than the Jewish God.
His comments were not the same as we would mean using the same language today. But still there was a stark difference between the children of the covenant and the pagans in the region.
It was for the lost children of Israel that Jesus came. For the children of God, he was prophesied. At least initially. As we know Jesus often healed the gentiles and many others with no regard for their circumstance or position including not being of the Jewish community.
The take away here is the woman’s faith.
She first came to him breaking through cultural or even social barriers and asked for his help. Depending on which Gospel we are reading the initial result was the same. Jesus refrains from helping her. It was only when she shifted her position and with humility presented herself and her daughter’s plight to the Creator of all, Lord and God. Then in a position of humility and absolute openness to his will did she receive healing.
And this is itself a cultural stumbling block for our society today. For to submit oneself to anyone or thing is rejected in modern times. The self is prioritized over the others and even God today.
It isn’t until a person realizes they are not God but creature. Only when they finally accept the right and true priorities of God and man that we are able to kneel before him with open arms and hearts and surrender our will over to his.
There IS something more important than our self.
We are not the center of the universe.
But we are loved by the creator of all things and the truth is the great and almighty God came down to be with his created. To create a path for us to move away from sin and despair. He came to bring us back home.
Today we have the hope of knowing that our God wants only good things for us. We need to be ready for his return but we also need to prepare ourselves for his blessings even now, even today. He wants so much for us.
This is not some theology of property that some chase believing that if we just follow Jesus all our life will be filled with wealth and involving no struggles.
But we will find hope and truth, and we will find eternal life to come with Him.
Pray that we have the faith of the woman who submitted herself and surrendered all, believing in the love, power, and ability of Jesus Christ today and always to take care of us and our needs.
Believe in his plan for your life and follow his ways always.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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