Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

Who do I want to intercede for today?

 

 

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 8:5-11) is a mirror. It reminds us of the words we say during the Mass at the moment of communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter my house,  only say the word and I will be healed”.  Looking at this text more closely it suggests the following:

 

The person who seeks Jesus is a pagan, a gentile, a soldier of the Roman army, which dominated and exploited the people. It is not merely religion or the desire for God, but rather the need and the suffering which impels him first to seek Jesus, followed by a faith that Jesus could heal. Jesus has no prejudices. He does not demand anything first, He accepts and listens to the request of the Roman centurion.

 

Jesus’ answer surprises the centurion because it is beyond his expectation. The centurion did not expect that Jesus would go to his house. He feels unworthy: “I am not worthy”. This means that he considered Jesus a highly superior person. The centurion expresses his faith in Jesus saying “say the word and my servant will be cured”. He believes that the word of Jesus is capable of healing. From where does he get this great faith? 

 

Another lesson I can take from this Gospel is that this remarkable centurion is a model of prayer. The effect of this man’s faith on Jesus brought amazement and touched his heart. We too can touch the heart of Jesus when we pray with deep concern for someone in need. Not many people could amaze Jesus, but this man does: he believes that Jesus can speak a word of healing, and that will be enough to cure his servant. Like the centurion, I may be used to giving and receiving instructions. Do I ever amaze Jesus with my faith?

 

This miracle is unusual for two reasons. Jesus was not actually present when the healing took place: he spoke the word, and the centurion’s servant was healed. The servant did not even have to hear Jesus speak the word: it was enough that the word was spoken.? Do we realize that when we speak God’s word, someone, somewhere, may find healing?

 

Nowhere in the Gospels do we hear Jesus express such joyful amazement. It is difficult to think of anyone whom he praised so wholeheartedly as he did this pagan centurion, a representative of the hated foreign power. This miracle reminds us of the all-embracing nature of Christ’s mission, and it warns us not to confuse uniformity with universality.

 

Placing myself in the place of Jesus, I have three questions for you to think about today: how do I accept and help people of other religions? Placing myself in the place of the centurion:  what personal experience leads me to believe in Jesus? And the Centurion interceded with Jesus on behalf of his servant, not himself. Who do I want to intercede for today?

 

Blessings,

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Monday, November 30, 2020 - 09:45

Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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