In the Gospel of Mark, we find one of the strangest stories concerning Jesus. He is confronted by a Syrophoenician woman who demands that Jesus heal her daughter. The unexpected response of Jesus is a denial based upon her religious and racial origins. However, by the end of the story, Jesus changes his mind and grants her request. Perhaps, from this encounter, we may learn that its possible we can become so certain of our opinions and so rigid in our attitudes that were not able to respond when God tries to open us up to something new in our world or in our lives. What made it possible for Jesus to respond positively to the request of the Syrophoenician woman, and what might make it possible for us to welcome newness and change into our lives?