July 22, 2022

Presenter:  Maria Pascuzzi, CSJ, SSL, STD

The dismissive response by Jesus in Mark 7:24-30 to the Syrophoenician woman’s request has left many struggling to explain the dynamics of this interaction. Traditionally, the story has been interpreted as a test of the woman’s faith. Others see it as a boundary-breaking encounter in which, through the woman’s agency, Jesus comes to broaden his thinking and reorient his mission to include Gentiles. This text invites us to consider the difficulty of relinquishing privileged status and power, a difficulty that persists in our own day. 

Sponsored by the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

Maria Pascuzzi, CSJ, SSL, STD, Director, Spirit Alive: the CSJ Institute for Faith Inquiry and Education