Gospel: Mark 7:24-30
When Jesus left that place, he went to the border of the Tyrian country. There, he entered a house, and did
not want anyone to know he was there; but he could not remain hidden. A woman, whose small daughter had an evil
spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she
begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. Jesus told her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s
bread and throw it to the puppies.” But she replied, “Sir, even the puppies under the table eat the crumbs from the children’s bread.”
Then Jesus said to her, “You may go your way; because of such a response, the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
And when the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed, and the demon gone.
Reflection:
Did Jesus really heal the woman’s daughter? If we go by
Jesus’ own words – “Because of such a response, the demon has
gone out of your daughter” – we realize that the healing simply
happened at her very response. What was so powerful about her
response that made the demon walk out? It expressed a faith
built on deep humility, a virtue unbearable for demons as they
are personifications of pride. St. Anthony Mary Claret, who made
humility his foundational virtue, writes: “The virtue of humility
consists in this: in realizing that I am nothing, can do nothing
but sin, and depend on God in everything – being, conservation,
movement, and grace. (Aut. 347).” With all his wisdom and
experience in life, Solomon fell away from God due to his pride,
whereas humility lifted up the woman and her daughter and
drew God’s favor and healing instantaneously.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022