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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Good Dog
In Walt Kelly's old "Pogo" comic strip a lazy hound dog loved to slouch up against a swamp tree and leaf through Dog's Life magazine.
Our phrase "a dog's life" describes a humdrum, plodding, where's-the-payoff existence. If dogs had lawyers, we libelers would be shirtless long ago! Meanwhile, every dog lover absolutely knows that dogs are loyal and loving, attentive to your every need.
But I say, who can know what's really going on inside a dog's head?
"The Far Side" once suggested a dog hears, when his human speaks, "Blah blah blah blah Harry blah blah blah blah." And I'm convinced a dog believes, "Every time I give that guy this Frisbee he's gonna throw it. I've sure got him trained!"
Many cultures call people they don't like "dogs." For example, the Jews of Jesus' day did it to the Gentiles. Ruled by basic instincts, liable to go wild without a moment's notice, unclean, a wonder they didn't go around on all fours. Sentimental stuff like that.
In Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus and his posse were in Gentile country. A local woman came to him asking if he'd heal her daughter. Jesus ignored her so she kept on asking. Dogging his steps, she started yelling and making a scene. The disciples tried to shoo her away, and Jesus said he couldn't care less because she wasn't "one of ours."
Then, to top off the brush-off, he said, "It's not right to throw the children's food to the dogs!" Ouch. Not your usual Gentle-Jesus-Meek-And-Mild story.
I wish Matthew cued us about body language here. Did Jesus make eye contact? Did he wink at her? Was he frowning? Maybe smiling? Nobody knows.
Regardless, she refused to give up. "That's true," she said. "But decent folks let a dog keep whatever falls on the floor!"
And here I think Jesus not only smiled but laughed out loud. Because he says, "You got me there. And you've got what you wanted. Your daughter is healed -- right now!"
I can't resist the temptation to say this woman's dogged determination made all the difference. Like a dog with a bone, gnawing and gnawing, she finally got the juice. And had the last laugh.
When you pray and don't get immediate answers, and that will happen, don't give up too soon. Stay on the lookout for a divine wink. Perk up your ears for the holy laughter.
posted by Jack Buckley at
9:40 AM
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