"but
the dogs can wait patiently for the crumbs to fall from the children's
table, can't they?"

Jesus' face lighted up. "O woman, you have great faith! You have found
the Kingdom of God. Go back to your daughter; your prayer is granted."

The disciples were aghast. James burst out, "Master, what can this
mean?"

"How can a gentile be included in our Kingdom?" demanded Simon.

"Do you not yet understand why I have come?" answered Jesus. "My Father
sent me to declare that all who are far away from him may come back if
they will repent. The Kingdom of God belongs to anyone who will come."

"But that cannot mean all the gentiles," protested Simon.

"You have forgotten what the Prophet Hosea once said," replied Jesus.
"To certain people it was said at one time, 'You do not belong to
God'--but now these very people are the children of God!" There was
finality in Jesus' voice, and the disciples could say nothing more as
the woman went home to her daughter.

Jesus knew from their sullen silence that the disciples resented his
kindness to the gentile woman. He saw Simon, Andrew, and James drop
behind the group.

"How can he do a thing like that?" fumed Simon. "He came to help
outcasts--but not gentiles!"

"She had the impudence to call him 'Lord'!" remarked Andrew.

Nevertheless, not one of them dared complain against Jesus even though
they went on talking among themselves after they left the country around
Sidon. Jesus made it so hard for them to follow him! Yet they were bound
to him, and nothing could drive them away.

Jesus did not enter Sidon, but turned back toward the mountain passes
that led toward Caesarea Philippi, a city near the foot of Mount Hermon.
The disciples had preached the good news of the Kingdom in the villages
of upper Galilee, and every day they saw people that they recognized.
But something seemed to be wrong. When they had preached before, the
people had welcomed them with joy. But now people hardly even greeted
them! What had happened? Had they forgotten the Rabbi from Nazareth who
had healed their sick? Where were the people who had said that Jesus had
changed their lives and given them new hope?

"Have the rumors about us spread here too?" asked James in despair.

"Do you wonder the people think he goes to extremes?" asked James
bitterly. "If they knew he told a gentile woman she could share in our
Kingdom, everyone would turn away from us!"

"Sometimes it almost seems as though th