Gospel: February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025 (Thursday)

5th Week in Ordinary Time

Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)

Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

1st Reading: Genesis 2:18-25

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:

“God cares for his people.”

How do we speak to God in prayer? The psalm response says, “Blessed are those who fear the Lord.” This doesn’t mean that we should be so afraid of God that we don’t want to disturb him with our petitions in case he gets angry. Fear of the Lord is not terror. Rather, it’s a reverence and respect for the majesty of God, acknowledging that he is God and that we are called to serve him. God is “merciful, slow to anger, loving and faithful” (Ps 86:15). He is not a vindictive God, but One who cares for his people. So how do we pray to him? In dread or daring, without conviction or full of confidence? The Syrophoenician woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter. She pleads with parrhesia, that is holy daring, which is a fundamental attitude for anyone who believes in Christ, since we recognize his greatness, but also have total confidence in his loving providence, even when we are tested to wait for a response. It’s that same daring we refer to when we pray the Our Father at Mass. He made us his children and we are not afraid to turn to him for help.