“Dog-Woman” Chapter 1 (pdf)
Chapter One is merely an introduction, and merely a rough draft. If you have any critiques, please do, offer them. I’m listening.
Chapter two will be a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew and Chapter three on that of Mark. Chapter four, well, that will bring out some implications, and that, my friends, will be a bit of a fright for some who are “rigid.” That’s it. Just a short pamphlet.
About Pietro del Po’s etching @1650 above. I’d like to see something out in the country, with all the Apostles cowering behind Jesus, with the woman smiling as she points to the little doggie, with Jesus laughing with her as He points to the Apostles behind him. Heh heh heh. Any artists in the house?
In the PDF linked to here, a revised cover is to be seen. I’m not sure if I would like to keep that artwork or something of a revision of Pietro’s work above. I’d like to see the woman depicted as someone who is obviously very poor and is obviously just a teenager.
You’ll see from this first chapter that a big deal is made of listening. I’m also trying to make sense of the Synods on the Family and Pope Francis’ plea for a Synodal Church. Tell me if on on track, if I’m a heretic, if that is more or perhaps less than what Pope Francis wants. Don’t be shy.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
It’s a cliffhanger, the priests are offended and the women happy; but what is Fr Byers’ surprising and seemingly divisive exegesis? Is this going to be a marxist-feminist dialectic? What could this woman have to do with vocational discernment? Are the apostles rejecting her for being a single mom rather or for being non-Jewish? Tune in next chapter.
I also extrapolate that she appears to be an unwed mother, but I wonder how Fr Byers sees that she may be teenaged.
The thing about being a somewhat marginal person who sometimes forages in dumpsters for food is that, although it is embarrassing and gross, you weirdly begin to associate dumpsters with reward and plenty and having things for dinner that you otherwise could not afford, because wealthier people throw away even gourmet stuff, and also finding stuff to sell for good money, and also providing food or other stuff for others. The Syro-Phonecian woman does not disdain to forage among the children’s “crumbs” and she finds the richest and best treasure that is all she needs: Jesus.
Is there an alternative to using “to heart to heart” as a verb on p 6?
The format of having subject headings at the tops of pages rather than at the start of a distinct new section of text is arguably overly creative.
“He want’s so much more” on p 15 doesn’t need an apostrophe.
“we may learn to freely ascent” on p 17 should be “assent”.
Hmmm, will Fr Byers say the Syro-Phonecian woman’s plea/prayer for the crumbs from the children’s table is the catalyst for the expansion or Catholicization of the Covenant to all people? Is that how she’s the epicenter?
I can draw donkeys but not people.
It’s everything you don’t expect.
I like it :), I think I get it, and would like the dog-woman to be more “fleshed” out–perhaps in the next chapters?
Even better than good, then
Sounds interesting so far. I also thought “Dog-Woman” should be fleshed out a bit. Including the gospel passage would help. Knowing why you named her that is a bit of a question too. The gospel gives one reason, but I feel there is another reason for that nickname lurking somewhere.
A bit of definition of what a synod is might help also. If a church is not Synodal, what else could it be. You begin to give a good explanation in this blog post.
Northernhermit, to me it makes perfect sense. She is a begger, like a dog, something the sufficient would abhor. I actually would prefer the term Dog Mother, because it is precisely her relationship to her child that brings her to beg the help of the Lord.
Patience!