NOTES for Mar 7:24-30
The words Christ spoke to the Syrophoenician woman sound very troubling: "...it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." As if He were supporting xenophobia and superiority over people of another faith as second-class people. But let us put ourselves in this woman's place. Suppose we are asking Christ for some mercy, and He answers us: "I have no time; I am busy distributing deserved mercies to the lawful children of God, and you are a dog; you are not allowed to eat from the master's table." Most of us would be indignant and would answer that "these children of Yours are no better than I am, and as for my being a dog, name-calling is rude." But this woman, with astonishing humility, agrees and says: "You may think of me whatever You consider necessary; I really am a sinner. But could not even crumbs of Your mercy fall to me?"
Crumbs, because from her point of view, the healing of her daughter is such a small thing for the Almighty that it would hardly impoverish the children showered with the Creator's endless mercies. And such humility before Christ does not remain unanswered.
And one more important point: Christ does not refuse to help her, a pagan woman, but in order for this to become possible, she needs to agree that the truth is contained in faith in the one God. The Jews, as monotheists, accept this truth, while pagans do not. After all, if the Syrophoenician woman does not agree that this is truly so, then who is Jesus for her?