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Gospel: Matthew 8: 5-11
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army, each in charge of 100 soldiers. They were widely considered to be men of virtue, cementing the morale of the military. Interestingly, every time a centurion is mentioned in the Gospels, he is also praised.
There was the centurion who recognized Jesus on the cross as the Son of God. Several times, a centurion provides safe passage for Saint Paul. There’s Cornelius, the first Gentile convert to Christianity.
And, of course, the centurion in today’s Gospel, who is the most praiseworthy of them all.
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According to Roman Law, slaves were nobodies. They lived and died at the mercy of their masters. Yet this centurion not only cares that his slave is sick; he also goes out of his way to save him – not by medicine, but by faith.
Hearing that Jesus has entered his town, he rushes out to greet him, pleading for help. The only problem is that the centurion is a Gentile, not a Jew, and the two were sworn enemies. Why, then, would this centurion turn to Christ?
Making matters worse, Jesus reminds him that it was against Jewish Law for a Jew to enter the house of a Gentile, as it would render him impure.
Undeterred, the centurion cries out, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”
This profession of faith leads to the only time in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus is “amazed.” He’s not only amazed by the centurion’s compassion, but also by his faith.
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The centurion teaches us two important lessons. First, faith in Christ is for everyone; it transcends the Law.
Second, those who care for others, especially the poor and vulnerable, always attract the heart and attention of Christ.
During this season of Advent, may we seek to deepen our faith – not only in word, but also in action by caring for the poorest among us.
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Image credits: (1) Be Still… (2) Ottawa Church of Christ (3) Biola Center for Christianity