Lk 7: 1-10
After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Profound Faith
Today’s Gospel is often referenced according to what occurred: Jesus heals a centurion’s servant. However, the message of today’s Gospel, what we are supposed to take away from the story, is not the “what,” but the “why”. Jesus heals a centurion’s servant because of the centurion’s deep and profound faith in Jesus‘ power of healing over sickness, life over death.
The centurion, most likely a Gentile, is aware of his own unworthiness to be in Jesus‘ presence. He asks only that Jesus “say the word“ to heal his servant. Such a request takes tremendous faith.
This Gospel also illustrates the power and importance of intercessory prayer, reminding us to pray for those who are suffering and in need of healing, love, compassion, mercy. Today, thank God for the people in your life whose faith sustained you when you were struggling. Say a prayer for the people in your life who are suffering and in need of healing, love, compassion, mercy.
—Jackie Schulte is the Dean of Faculty Formation at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Prayer
Lord, we are not worthy that you should enter under our roof,
but only say the word and our souls shall be healed. Amen
—Based on the response during the Eucharistic Prayer