August 6, 2026: Dogs, Crumbs and a Missing Thumb: When Sacred Stories Talk Back
Matthew 15: 21-28

Dr. Sharon Jacob, preaching

Have you ever read a sacred story and thought, Wait … did I just hear this? There are stories in our sacred texts that comfort and inspire us. And then there are stories that make us uncomfortable. They raise questions we would rather avoid and leave us wondering why they are even in our sacred texts in the first place.

This Sunday, I want to place two uncomfortable sacred stories next to each other: Jesus ’ encounter with the Canaanite woman in the Gospel of Matthew and the story of Eklavya from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata . They come from two very different religious traditions, but when we place them side by side, difficult questions emerge. Who gets to belong? Who gets access? Who decides who stands on the margins? And yes, there will be dogs. There will be crumbs. And, strangely enough, there will be a missing thumb. My invitation this week is to ask us to wonder, what happens if we sit in the discomfort and listen to the people we are accustomed to seeing at the edges of our sacred stories.

Come wrestle with these strange, uncomfortable, and wonderfully untamed sacred stories with me.

The way we worship is the way we live.

Worship is the work of the people, bringing together our fullest selves in a communal act of love and gratitude.  Each voice is important; each person is valued as the Spirit draws out our authentic gifts and talents, shared in the ever-widening circle of God’s people.  We hope you’ll join us this week as we gather to worship the God of extravagant welcome.