Sunday, September 6 - 2015

Pentecost 15 B

Mark 7:24-37 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre.[a] He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Sir,[b] even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30 So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Cures a Deaf Man

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus[c] ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Footnotes:

1. Mark 7:24 Other ancient authorities add and Sidon
2. Mark 7:28 Or Lord; other ancient authorities prefix Yes
3. Mark 7:36 Gk he

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

‘A Poem a Sunday’ - St. Mark 7:24-37

I.  Crumbs from the table

Not even leftovers

but crumbs at the table,

crumbs at the table of the Lord.

A woman’s cry

no promise of grace

but crumbs from the table of the Lord.

Dogs deserve

the Masters largess

from crumbs at the table of the Lord.

Faith that clings

to little things

crumbs from the table of the Lord.

The Master praises

and grace is seen

in crumbs from the table of the Lord.

II. Spittle and Mud

Not even clear water

but spittle and mud,

spittle and mud will do

to open deaf ears

and a mute tongue

spittle and mud is used.

Miracles of grace

often take place

in small and

and earthy things.

The promise comes

in the hum-drum

where we least expect such things.

Foreign faith-filled woman,

deaf and mute man

cling to grace from the table

and spittle and mud.

God of the ordinary

grace us each day

in the small and earthen

teach us your way.

A Poem a Sunday - Kenn Storck – September 1, 2015