the enduring significance of the syrophoenician woman

When we are afforded time to hear and reflect on this unique and powerful gospel narrative, it highlights just how much we are missing out on when it is excluded from the Sunday Lectionary. Many of us, even those privileged to preach, simply never have to grapple with its unique testimony. I would dare to suggest that the majority of our communities have never heard this gospel proclaimed and that, even for priests and minsters, it constitutes little more than a vague memory from a scripture class many years ago. However, if we allow this text to speak its unique saving word to us it can I believe open us up to radically new insights in respect of our vision of Church and ministry.