Tyre and Sidon
St Mark tells us in this week’s Gospel Mark 7: 31-37 ‘Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis’. Now Tyre and Sidon were at the time of Jesus, prosperous Roman port cities. There were few Israelites living there, Josephus, the Roman-Jewish historian, called the Tyrians ‘our bitterest enemies’. And it is reasonable to believe that it was a ‘hostile Gentile district’.
Yet there was great spiritual hunger in the region. Early in Jesus' ministry, people from Sidon and Tyre heard about the things He did. They came to see Him (Mk 3:8) and be healed by Him (Lu 6:17). It was there He healed the Canaanite (Syrophoenician) woman's daughter (Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-31).
As I read this, I thought of my priest friend who ministers to a hostile inner-city neighbourhood. Getting to the parish church is a risk for some, having to cross ‘gangs’ turf’. So instead, my priest friend’s ministry involves visiting homes and conducting ‘home-services’. Like Jesus, he is going through ‘hostile districts’ to heal others.
His ministry is a reminder that God's healing and mercy are not confined to safe, familiar places. Jesus' actions in Tyre and Sidon challenge us to visit the hostile areas of our lives, trusting that the heart of Christ, will bring healing.
It calls us to bring Christ's presence into the uncomfortable and broken parts of our own lives, the areas of hurt, fear, or estrangement we often avoid. Hostile areas like unresolved conflicts with loved ones, deep-seated insecurities, lingering guilt over past mistakes, or the wounds of betrayal. They may include hostile work or home environments.
It is in these hostile areas, where we may feel most vulnerable or resistant, that Christ’s healing is most needed. We bring Jesus to these hostile areas through prayer. Praying inwardly about them and even while we are experiencing them. Silently in our mind we repeated call Jesus to enter into the situation.
While we are experiencing temptation, we inwardly call on Christ, while speaking to ‘an enemy’, we inwardly call on Christ, while experiencing pain we call on Him to give us courage to persevere.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Thank you, Andre. Recently, I was chatting with a couple of parishioners on the challenges of trauma and grief. And we concluded that these were like visiting Tyre and Sidon.
Thank you, Deacon. I experience deep seated areas of insecurities in my own home, but I call on Jesus to help me see the other as a wounded person who needs healing, who needs Christ’s healing, who needs compassion, respect and love.
We are all broken in some ways, and we all have a child in us that needs to be held in His wings.