THE DOGS UNDER THE TABLE…

Genesis 2:18-25 
18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him.21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh;22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

Mark 7:24-30 

24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid.25 But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet.
26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
27 And he said to her, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”29 And he said to her, “For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.”30 And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.

MEDITATION 

THE FIRST READING: Upon receiving the instruction to rank and classify the plants and animals according to their species and genus, God noticed Adam’s restless loneliness, because he was searching among the animal species, but could not find a complimentary helper that was a perfect fit for him. With this said God put Adam to sleep, took some of his DNA and formed a woman that would be a complimentary fit for him! 

As a father escort his daughter down the isle to be wedded to a man, so God took the Women by the hand walking her down the isle and handed her to the awaiting groom who could not contain his victorious exuberance when he laid his eyes upon her, such that he loudly exclaimed “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” a confirmation that she is a perfect fit purposed to be fruitful to also propagate life! On a side note; it is elict for a man to walk a man down the isle, or that a woman walk a woman down the isle. To be clear it wpuld be an abomination that is contrary to the will of God and the natural order of creation!

THE GOSPEL READING: A Syrophoenician Canaanite women who is a descendant relation of the Hebrew people gatecrashed our Lord’s silent retreat, indulging Him to heal her afflicted daughter. Christ’s apparent dismissive response did not dissuade this schismatic women who shared His DNA, to the extent that she was content to feed off the leftovers of His mercy and grace for the sake of her daughters wellbeing and restoration.

It is very apparent that Christs first immediate concern is to care, nourish, heal and save those who is bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, denoting those who have appropriated and live the sacramental life within His Church. Furthermore, Christ is measuredly merciful and graceful towards schismatics, hoping that at some point they will no longer be like proverbial ‘dogs‘ who feed off crumbs that fell under the table of Sacrifice, but be fully reconciled with the bride, the Church He established upon the rock of Peter. We are called to pray hoping that those who are afflicted and suffer spiritual starvation, becuase the Holy Sacraments are absent in their lives, will be drawn back to restore their marriage union with Christ and His Church! To be sure, by our impeccable example and prayers we must take the hand of those in search of truth and leed them up the isle to Christ Jesus on the altar of deliverance!

LET US PRAY:Psalms 128:1-5 

1 A Song of Ascents.
Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.4 Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.5 The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER 

Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.