Hi
This past Sunday, churches that follow the revised common lectionary presented the encounter between Jesus and the SyroPhoneciqn Woman. Her story is often used to demonstrate great faith; but the focus of today’s Holy Nougat is slightly different.
“A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”” Matthew 15:22 NLT
Like many of the women we encounter in the Bible, this woman is nameless. Despite her faith, her identity is obscured. Totally missing from the annals of history.
Except that, on Sunday, one preacher noted that in some contexts, she is called, ‘Justa’ to honor her fight for Justice. I will confess, I didn’t catch the reference for the source because I immediately heard an old song playing in my mind. The first few lines say, ‘I’m only human, I’m just a woman; Lord help me believe in all I can be … ‘
I was struck.
For me, her name Justa served as a gift to all of us who can now relate to her faith and passion in the wider narrative. For this wasn’t any ‘important’ woman in the way the world recognizes; she was Just A Woman (got it Just A; Justa) who Jesus met on His journeys. She could be any of us – Who overcame all obstacles to accomplish her goal; that of securing her daughter’s healing.
The story unfolds with much drama, she goes from pleas to worship to divine debate as Jesus tested her mettle. It is said that she had two major points going against her; she was from the group of people with whom the Jews had no good relations; and she was female. Perfect reasons to be insulted and overlooked. In fact, it was expected that she should know and stay in her place. But for the love of a daughter; she forgot her place; rather she persevered.
I wonder, in our current situations, are we Justa? Is there a situation that requires we press in, overcoming the naysayers, insiders and apparent insults to accomplish our hearts’ desires? Perhaps we have appealed for help in some arenas and got the very clear sense that we are overlooked because we are ‘Just A …’ (please fill in the blanks). Today, I urge us to press on, to cry out to Jesus regardless of what/who the world tells us to be.
The named women and men do have pride of nomenclature in the biblical stories, but Justa reminds us that even in our namelessness in society’s eyes; we have the potential to turn our worlds around.
Are you Justa?
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
