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Gospel Reading for February 12, 2026 – Mark 7: 24-30
EXCLUSIVE OF OTHERS
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
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Jesus’ reputation as one who could drive out demons spread even to non-Jewish communities. The mother, though a Gentile—considered “unclean” by first-century Jews—went to great lengths to seek help for her daughter. She firmly believed that Jesus would grant her plea, even if she was not an Israelite.
Thus, when Jesus used the metaphor of calling the Israelites “children” and the Gentiles “dogs,” she humbly accepted the comparison and persisted in her request. Her humility, perseverance, and unwavering faith moved the heart of Jesus. In the end, her faith and trust in Jesus, was rewarded—her prayer was answered.
In Matthew 15:24, Jesus says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Indeed, his mission was directed first to the Israelites—but it was never meant to be EXCLUSIVE OF OTHERS. After all, he is the Savior of the whole world!
How grateful we are, Lord Jesus, that we have come to know you, even though we live in distant lands far from where you first walked!
