Happy New Year to you! Happy New liturgical year, that is. We move on to Cycle B in the readings, and we will notice that our priests will have a change in color of their vestments. We’re not in ordinary time anymore. The advent candles will be brought into service. This is all part of Advent, of course, and our preparation for Christmas.
The gospel reading today tells us the story of the Centurion who asks for healing for his servant. Several aspects of the reading stood out for me.
Unlikely Interaction with a Roman in Israel
The Romans were harsh rulers of Israel, and had little regard for, and little interaction with, the Jewish people. The main character in the reading, the Centurion, was a Roman military leader. A Centurion has one hundred soldiers reporting to him…the word century relates to the number 100. He would be considered part of the ruling class, and he had servants and slaves, as well as military men serving him. He was probably Pagan. However, he has a “good streak” in him, as he is concerned about his sick servant, who is likely a lower-class Jew.
This ruling class Roman has the courage and boldness and humbleness to ask a Jewish guy, Jesus, to help him. The Centurion must be well informed that Jesus is God’s son, and that great healings and miracles are taking place. He also had proper local intelligence sources to let him know where Jesus was, exactly, to arrange a meet up.
Chain of Command
The Centurion asks for healing for his servant, directly to Jesus. Jesus can call upon His Father’s power, and does whichever miracle is needed. So, a chain of command is established, with God as the ultimate leader, then Jesus, then the Centurion, then the sick servant. As a soldier, the Centurion is aware of what chains of command are, so that is how he wants the interaction with Jesus to occur.
Humble Request
With his position in society, the Centurion could have gotten whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it. He could have demanded that the people bring Jesus to him. However, this Centurion had a humbler approach. He asked for a healing but did not want to trouble Jesus to come all the way to his house. He was asking for a favor, for a lowly servant, and God’s son should not have to walk to help. I was impressed by his method of asking. This is also an example for us…even though Jesus is not walking the Earth to help us, he can still make miracles happen.
Part of our Mass
At Mass, we have a response that is from this Gospel, and this is further proof that our Mass is Bible based. “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul (servant) shall be healed.” So, we are humbly asking for something, like the powerful Centurion. If a Pagan can ask for a miracle, and it is granted (we do not hear of the healing taking place, but we assume it did), then why shouldn’t our humble requests, as Catholics, be answered?
Prayers are answered either right now, at a time that Jesus decides, or are answered in a better way than we thought of in the first place. What or who are you praying for today?
