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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.” Matthew 8:10–11
Jesus looks into the heart, not just at one’s exterior. Today’s
Gospel presents us with the profound faith of a Roman centurion—a
pagan and Gentile. Though not of the Jewish faith, this centurion
recognized Jesus’ spiritual authority to heal. Perhaps he had seen
Jesus do so before or had heard of the many stories of miracles. Or
maybe he was moved by the Holy Spirit to trust in Jesus. The Roman
soldier begged Jesus to heal one of his severely ill servants. But
that’s not all he did. Once Jesus offered to go to the servant, the
Roman centurion manifested humility and faith by saying, “Lord, I
am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word
and my servant will be healed.” Catholics now pray similar words
just before Holy Communion.
When Jesus heard this statement of faith, He was “amazed,” because
among the descendants of Abraham, He had found no such faith. The
centurion’s faith broke through cultural and religious barriers. As
a Gentile and a Roman soldier, he was an unlikely candidate for
such profound faith. Yet, his humility and trust in Jesus surpassed
that of many of the chosen people.
Let’s consider two points from this story. First, when you pray the
centurion’s words at Mass, just before Holy Communion, does your
depth of faith and conviction also lead Jesus to be “amazed”? Do
you know and profess your unworthiness, yet beg our Lord to enter
your soul nonetheless? The centurion’s humility is a powerful
lesson for us. Despite his authority and status, he recognized his
unworthiness before Jesus. This humility is vital to approaching
the Eucharist, acknowledging our need for God’s grace and mercy
before receiving Him into our souls. Consider whether you mean
those words every time you pray them or if they have become a habit
that you say distractedly.
Second, Jesus’ promise to heal this Gentile’s servant illustrates
the universality of Jesus’ gift of salvation. Our Catholic faith is
not only for those born and raised Catholic; it’s for everyone, and
we must do our part to extend that invitation to everyone through
prayer and witness. We must turn to our Lord and beg for grace and
healing upon others. God has the power to do all things. Like the
centurion, we must pray for others, trusting that God hears our
petitions and will act in His perfect timing. We must believe that,
and then present the needs of those around us to Him, begging Him
to draw them to Himself. We must pray, “Lord, only say the word!
Say Your word of healing, cleansing, conversion, transformation,
and every word that brings forth Your will!”
Reflect today on this Roman centurion’s faith and prayerful words
and try to internalize them more fully. Meditate on those words
outside of the Holy Mass so that next time you attend Mass, that
prayer just before Holy Communion will more fully prepare your soul
for the gift of Christ Jesus Himself.
My amazed Lord, the Roman centurion’s faith touched Your human
soul. Please give me the grace I need to have this same depth of
faith and to express that faith more fully every time I prepare to
receive You in Holy Communion. Jesus, I trust in You.
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