Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

the Rev. Michael Lemaire

Rather than defending Jesus’ harsh treatment of the Canaanite woman, the

sermon asks whether the encounter actually changed Jesus. The woman crosses

cultural, religious, and gender boundaries to seek healing for her

daughter. Jesus initially rejects her, describing his mission as limited to

Israel and comparing outsiders to dogs who should not receive the

children’s food.

But the woman brilliantly turns Jesus’ image around: even dogs receive

crumbs from the master's table. Her persistence and love expose the

abundance of the grace Jesus carries and challenge the limits he has placed

around his mission. Jesus listens, changes his response, and heals her

daughter.