Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

More than Crumbs

Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: I

Introduction

Chosen by God, builder of the Temple, endowed with wisdom, at the height of power and riches, Solomon abandoned God and his covenant. The sacred writer seems to wonder how so great a man could have fallen so low. God’s grace, if not used, gives no security.

Gospel. Despised pagans too, are offered salvation. The doctors of the Law had called the region where Jesus worked this miracle a region of dogs. God lifts up the lowly who believe. Grace is no exclusive privilege for God’s people. The kingdom is also for pagans.

Opening Prayer

Father of all,
long ago, you chose the people of Israel
to make your name known to all nations.

Your Son, Jesus Christ, made it clear
that forgiveness and life are the share
of all who believe in him.
Make your Church truly a place of encounter
for all those who grope for you,
that all obstacles and barriers may be removed
and that the riches of all nations and cultures
may reveal the thousand faces of the love you show us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

First Reading

1 Kings 11:4-13

When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods,
and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God,
as the heart of his father David had been.
By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians,
and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites,
Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD;
he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done.
Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab,
and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites,
on the hill opposite Jerusalem.
He did the same for all his foreign wives
who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon,
because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel,
who had appeared to him twice
(for though the LORD had forbidden him
this very act of following strange gods,
Solomon had not obeyed him).

So the LORD said to Solomon: "Since this is what you want,
and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes
which I enjoined on you,
I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant.
I will not do this during your lifetime, however,
for the sake of your father David;
it is your son whom I will deprive.
Nor will I take away the whole kingdom.
I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David
and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40

R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people;
visit us with your saving help.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
But they mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Alleluia Verse

James 1:21bc

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 7:24-30

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.

Prayers of the Faithful

– That there may be room in the universal Church for the cultural riches of various peoples and for their manifesting the same faith in a variety of languages and forms of expression, we pray:

– That we may open our homes and hearts to those who differ in many ways from us, that we may do all we can to integrate them into the human and Christian community, we pray:

– That all of us may be concerned about those who are not here because they are estranged from the Church, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God, our Father,
you set the table of your Son
for all who are willing to come:
for saints and for sinners, for the poor and the rich.
May we learn from your Son, Jesus Christ,
to give to all those who ask for food or love
not meager crumbs or leftovers,
but the food of ourselves,
as Jesus does here for us,
He who is your Son and our Lord forever.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
in this Eucharist we have all been one
in Jesus Christ, your Son.
He died and rose to life for all;
his likeness is reflected
in the face of every human being.
May it become visible in all.
Let his face not be marred or divided
by our prejudices and fears;
do not allow your love to be less than universal,
but unite us all in him
who is our common way to you and to one another,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

May there be room in this house, that is, in our Christian communities, for all people, whatever their race or social class, their culture or education may be. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTION:

Mark 7:24-30

Missionaries without borders

Today’s Gospel speaks of a desperate mother who would do anything for her child’s health. In today's terms, Jesus’ response to this pagan woman was harsh and offensive. In the Jewish world of the time, however, there was nothing inappropriate about it. It perfectly reflected the attitude of Jews who referred to Gentiles as dogs.

Being in a position that involves power, be it in the Church, the family or our workplaces, we would love to see our desires and decisions accepted and executed. A company manager reversing his decision at the request of a sweeper or a parish priest reconsidering his plan of action at the request of parishioners are not everyday events.

The foreign woman’s love for her daughter makes Jesus change his mind. He seemed to submit himself to a conversion of heart. The process of conversion involves identifying prejudices, letting go of them, and broadening one's perspectives.Jesus teaches us how to set aside our deep prejudices to bring healing to the world beyond the religious boundaries. We are called to be missionaries without borders!

In today's Gospel, we're encouraged to open up our homes and hearts to those who differ in many ways, so we can incorporate them into our faith community.

Missionaries without borders - Youtube

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Conversion

Jesus was gaining recognition as a preacher and miracle-worker. He had a group of disciples who accompanied him and many more followed him. What could force him to change his plans and course of action? We seldom find Jesus changing his mind in the Gospels. Let us reflect on the freedom or flexibility of Jesus for changing his discourse or the way he acted when circumstances called for it.
Being in a position that involves power, be it in the Church, in the family or in our work places, we would love to see our desires as decisions are accepted and executed. To have the boss of a company reverse his decision at the request of an ordinary janitor or the parish priest to reconsider his plan of action at the request of his parishioners are not every day experiences.
Jesus’ response to the woman sounds inexcusably offensive. But, it wasn’t anything inappropriate in the Jewish world of the time. It perfectly reflected the attitude of Jews to Gentiles. Jews of the days of Jesus commonly referred to Gentiles as dogs. However, the refusal to respond to obvious human need seemed uncharacteristic of Jesus.
The foreigner woman’s love for her daughter challenges the assumption of Jesus. And Jesus changed his mind. The breaking-in of the Kingdom into the life of the girl was the result not just of the action of Jesus but of the faith and concern of the mother as well. Jesus seemed to allow himself to be subject to the conversion of heart that he demanded from his disciples. Conversion is so often a process of identifying our prejudices, and letting go of them, and of broadening one’s attitudes.
Today’s miracle story is a call for identifying our prejudices in order to overcome them. Today the Church remembers the Apparition of Our Lady to Bernadette in Lourdes. Many who were sick got miraculously healed at the shrine in Lourdes. Bernadette herself died while taking care of the sick. Today is the World day of the sick. Jesus set aside his prejudices and healed the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman. Blessed mother in Lourdes brings the message of caring for the sick. Let us not forget to be concerned and to care for those who suffer due to illnesses, especially in these days of the pandemic.

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Mark 7:24-30

A Mother’s Faith

In today’s Gospel, we witness the incredible power of faith, love, and persistence. It begins with Jesus, who longs for rest. Just as we often need some time for ourselves, so did Jesus. Yet, Jesus could not remain unseen. He gives up His time to rest in order to heal, comfort, and relieve. This self-giving generosity is a model for our Christian life, reminding us to set aside our own needs to be present for others. God calls us to bring healing and love—to offer a kind word, a compassionate look, a listening ear, or a gentle embrace that can soothe deep wounds and bring hope.

We then encounter the powerful faith of a mother. This woman, though not a follower of Jesus, falls at His feet in humility and love for her child. How many parents sacrifice their time, energy, and pride to ensure the well-being of their sons and daughters? Whether working extra hours, enduring long nights in hospitals, or simply offering steady support, their love mirrors the love of God—unconditional and selfless.

The mother’s faith shows us the importance of perseverance in prayer. She pleads with Jesus, not giving up despite initial resistance. Her persistence is an act of trust, knowing that God can do what she cannot. This is a call to all of us: never stop praying. Trust that God hears usand works in His time to make all things new.

May God grant us the faith of this mother and the generosity of Jesus. Help us to persist in prayer, and give us a generous heart to bring healing and love to others. Through the intercession of Mary our Mother, may we grow in faith and selfless love.

A Mother’s Faith - Youtube