The question itself makes me deeply uncomfortable.
I never answered the first question, about whether Jesus called this woman a dog. The question itself makes me deeply uncomfortable. But I think that has to be the case.
Because, when you look through the lens of systemic injustice, there is no denying that the Church, that those of us who claim to follow Jesus have contributed to and benefited from the exploitation of women and people of color.
Jesus looked out on a group of tired, frustrated, oppressed people. He told them, "you get a choice of where to live." You can stay in this tired frustrated place. Or Jesus said, you can follow me...
That is the other key difference in the stories. When Jesus died, the human authorities thought they had won, but they didn't have the last word. God had the last word. The resurrection is a witness to the power of God's love even over the machinations of death. Even when the world is loveless, even when the world would sacrifice some of our siblings, God will conquer. God will have the last word. As people who follow the loving, liberating, life giving God, it is our work to take the knives out of the hands of those who think they are enacting justice. And God takes pride when we keep on marching.
