Unworthy
‘Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof … but only say the word and my soul shall be healed’
The priest lifts up the consecrated host and Jesus Christ is really truly present with us, body blood, soul and divinity. As we gaze on the Son of God, this moment is taking place all over the world and in all moments of history, and all those moments in time and place come together in the company of heaven as all the saints and angels gather to adore the Lord.
The officer stepped forward and stood before the Teacher. The Roman was a leader, tall and upright, his hair flecked with grey, flanked by two of the men who had served him in action and who now served him in his home, two of the three brave men who were with him from their youth, always willing to lay their lives down at his command.
The people who walked with the Teacher drew back a little from the Gentile, but the Teacher looked steadily at him He knew a man lay in the centurion’s home, fighting a battle with his pain and praying for strength from an unseen god.
The one who commanded fear and respect bowed before the Rabbi.
“Lord,” he uttered, and the commander of men knelt before the Christ
Jesus gazed at him.
“Lord, my servant lies at home …”
He looked into the eyes of the Holy One and understood that Jesus knew all that had happened in the days of battle and all the love, hurt and compassion that burned in his heart as he begged for the healing of his servant.
“Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
Jesus saw the officer and saw his whole life, leading up to this moment, after this moment, and as he was a few hours ago, tending to his servant himself and making a resolution to approach the Healer, whose name was on everyone’s lips as the stories were passed around. He would simply trust himself and his servant to Jesus.
Jesus spoke
“I will come and cure him.”
The centurion rose and looked into the eyes of his Lord as he replied.
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man 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.”
Those who were close to Jesus heard the words he spoke to his people. If they will just see as this Gentile sees, the Lord’s anointed One is in their midst, and if they will just believe as this Gentile believes …!
He turned back to the centurion and the officer knew immediately that his servant was healed,
“Go, let it be done for you according to your faith.”
All Things New
What was done according to his faith then was just a beginning. The commander had a new leader and a new direction now and the leader of men led others into faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. He stands beside us now before the Lord.
The priest lifts up the consecrated host and Jesus Christ is really truly present with us, body blood, soul and divinity. Behold! If only we had faith like this man! We know we are not worthy too, how can we receive the Lord – into our Church, into ourselves in this way? The centurion shows us. Jesus will say the word and we will be healed.
As we gaze on the Son of God, that moment is taking place all over the world and in all moments of history, and all those moments in time and place come together in the company of heaven as all the saints and angels gather to adore the Lord.
