Women of the Gospels: The Syrophoenician Woman

Son of David, Merciful one,

I had heard of what your brave disciple Peter had done at the home of Cornelius in Caesarea. 1 When I heard of how he baptized even the non-circumcised, I set off to find him, so that my daughter Guilia and I could also partake in these saving waters. And we received the power of the Holy Spirit! I knew You wouldn't forget about us!

 Jesus, You know my story. But writing it all down helps me make sense of it, so that I can give all the glory to You.

I was raised on the shores of the Great Sea, the daughter of a sailor. Papa spent most of his time working on the ships, traveling to far-off lands.

Tyre and Sidon along the coast of the Sea of Galilee

How I loved hearing him tell stories of foreign people and exotic places.

Because of the dangers at sea, Mama and I spent much time in front of our home altar to Melqart- the chief god of our city, and the protector of the sea.  We didn’t have much, but we managed to sacrifice what little we did have to offer to our god to keep my Papa safe.

Mama was gifted. 2 She was known throughout all of Tyre for her visions.

Whenever we heard of a shipwreck, the sailors' wives would knock on our door, asking Mama whether Melqart was angry with their husbands or merciful.

I still shudder to think about the screams and cries of the woman coming from the dark, smoky back room of our home where the divination occurred.

Mama occasionally offered good news, but more often than not, heartbreak occurred.

In the ancient world, demon possession was often seen as a gift.

Fast forward many years. I, too, married a brave sailor. How the gods smiled on me when my little Guilia was born. She was beautiful and perfect in every way.

I will never forget the day I discovered that my precious daughter had received the "gift" that my mama also had.

She told me about the voices she heard and the prophecy they told her. I was so proud to think that she was one of the chosen ones!

Melqart doesn't choose just anyone, yet my daughter was able to hear him and reveal things she couldn't have known on her own.

My husband rejoiced in his own flesh and blood being “gifted." He bragged to everyone about his special daughter.

But one night, while he was out at sea, Guila came to me. There were no candles lit, but she seemed to glow a sickly green. Her normally beautiful features were distorted in a most frightening way.

"He's never coming back," she growled at me in a deep voice.

"Who?" I stammered, "Who's not coming back?"

"Papa," she said, and disappeared from sight.

The next morning, news of his merchant ship disappearing after a great storm reached us. I knew deep in my heart that he was gone.

It was the first time I considered the "gift" to be a curse.

Many Jews lived in Tyre, as did many who traveled through the city.  I have heard many stories over the years about their strange God and their strange relationship with Him. I knew of some of their triumphs and oppressions, and knew that their holy city, Jerusalem, was also under Roman rule, like us. 

I heard the Jewish women at the well singing enchanting songs about a messiah who was to come to save them.

Through their haunting melodies and the ancient legends I had picked up over the years, something deep inside me knew they were special.  These monotheists and their intimate relationship with what they call the one true God intrigued me.

About the time of Giulia's prophecy, which came to pass, leaving me a poor widow, I heard rumblings of a prophet of the Most High. The Jews certainly had their fair share of prophets, some good, others not so much. But this new one was causing quite a stir. Word travels quickly out of Capernaum, 20 miles to the south.

Many who had heard of him traveled to see him and came back here to tell stories of how he had healed them.

This didn't make sense to me. I have witnessed the "healing" of the sick from my Mama's incantations, but it was from minor illnesses, or it relieved symptoms temporarily, only to have that illness, or one much worse, come back and ravage them.

But this prophet healed in a way that Melqart or any of our other gods could not.

He healed a withered hand. 3 How is that even possible? Who is this man, and how does his God, the same God the Jews speak of, have that kind of authority?

So when I heard a rumor that he was coming here to Sidon, I made haste to see him.

And when I saw "him," I mean, I saw You. All the songs and stories I had heard about the "One true God" from the Jews came together in my mind, and my heart knew that this was the One they had been praying for and waiting for. All their stories must be true! But if there is only one true God, then who had I been sacrificing to and praying to all these years?

I pushed through the crowd and screamed as though my life depended on it, because it did, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." 4

You gave me no reply, but your disciples begged You to send me away.

Looking out over the Great Sea, You proclaimed, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

I know. I was not born into that royal family. But I also know that I am standing before the Son of God.

"Lord help me," I said as I knelt down before You.

You finally turned your eyes toward me, and I knew then how much You loved me and that You were going to heal Guilia.

You gave me a wink, then looked up at your disciples and said, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!"

I slowly stood up and responded, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

With a beaming smile You looked back at me. “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire."

And she was healed! Thank You, Jesus!

When I remember back to that day. I almost feel sorry for your poor disciples.

Their mouths hung open in disbelief as their prejudices melted away.

Salvation history was written in the bloodlines of the Chosen People, but when those tongues of fire came down and rested on the heads of your chosen men, 5 all were invited to be grafted in by faith. 6

"I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

And so, Guila and I became adopted daughters of the Kingdom of God when we walked into the waters of the Jordan.  James poured water over us, saying, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

We have become adopted daughters of the Most High, and we will spend the rest of our days showing people The Way.

With much joy and gratitude,

Your newest daughter

Dear reader, once again this Lent, we will put ourselves in the shoes of the women of the gospels. As a reminder, the women we will be writing about ARE real women who encountered Jesus. But many parts of their stories, as we are telling them, are a work of fiction.

But we can still lean into the story to have these characters jump off the page at us. In creating and hearing their stories, they come to life in a new way. It helps us understand their "realness," helping us to relate to them and to the way Jesus responds to them.

The Syrophoenician woman is a complex character. Her story often frustrates readers, as Jesus literally calls her a dog.

There are many commentaries on why he used this language, with people often stating that the Greek word for dog actually meant puppy, so it was more of an affectionate term for the small lap dogs the ancient people kept as pets, who would have their fill when their masters were done eating.

This analysis would make sense given the story's context. Jesus did come first for the Jews, the Chosen People, but he came for everyone, and this was the first time the disciples were exposed to that shocking news.

This woman is persistent, not giving up after being ignored by Jesus, or after Jesus addresses that he came for the lost sheep of Israel, or even after he tells her how it is unfair to throw the children's bread to the dogs.

She responds with great wit, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." And with this response, the floodgates of Jesus' mercy open, and her daughter is healed.

Perhaps Jesus knew that she was a fighter and could easily handle a verbal boxing match, so he set it up that way to teach his disciples a lesson.

I hope you enjoyed meeting the Syrophoenician woman as much as I did, and that she can teach you how to be persistent in the faith and unafraid to turn away from the false gods in your life.

Until next time, your sister in Christ,

Leah

These bible verses were referenced in the letter, if you would like to further pray with them!

1- Peter orders the baptism of the Gentiles for the first time in Acts 10

2- Seeing possession as a "gift", as seen in Acts 16:16-18

3- Jesus heals a man with a withered hand in Mark 3:1-6

4- Where Jesus meets the Syrophoenician woman, or the Canaanite woman as she is called in Matthew 15:21-28

5- The descent of the Holy Spirt at Pentecost, Acts 2

6- St. Paul writes about the Gentiles being grafted into the faith in Romans 11:11-31