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.
Reflect
Many years ago, I was traveling in Kenya and had the opportunity to meet two young women who
lived in a home for children rescued from the streets. As we chatted, they asked where I lived. I
responded with great pride that I live in my own home. Where I come from, it’s considered a
great accomplishment to be a homeowner, particularly as a young woman. But my new Kenyan
friends were not impressed. On the contrary, they felt sorry for me because I had to live alone.
Unlike them, I did not have loving companions to share my home.
From the beginning, God recognized that it is not good for us to be alone. We need to seek out
others, to live in community. For many people, that means living as a family or in a religious
community. But even those who live alone – by choice or by circumstances – are called to
community. We can reach out to those around us in our parishes or neighborhoods. We can be
attentive to those who have no one, especially the elderly or those who lack loving families.
With an attentive ear and welcoming heart, we can help to build loving communities.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023