Lord, I Am Not Worthy!

Monday, December 2, 2024

Is 2:1-5; Mt 8:5-11

Today’s Gospel highlights Jesus’ astonishment over the centurion’s faith.

The centurion’s gesture to seek his servant’s healing from Jesus is unusual. The fact that the centurion did not wish to dispose of the sick servant as it was the custom of the day bespeaks his goodness. 

Moreover, the centurion’s goodness has a faith dimension. His knowledge of Jesus leads to his faith in him. Hence, though a gentile and foreigner, he acknowledges the lordship of Jesus. 

Moreover, the centurion’s understanding of Jesus’ superior authority through a comparison of his own is amazing. The unquestioning obedience that he enjoys with his limited authority over 100 soldiers helps him magnify the unlimited authority of Jesus in a way nobody has done before.

Jesus is astonished at the testimony of the centurion’s humble faith and praises him. 

It is only right and just that Christ has so willed that we shall always profess our faith in the Eucharistic Lord by uttering the words of the centurion!

How happy are we to learn our faith from someone who was not Jesus’ follower?

Let us pray that we may learn from the example of the centurion and grow strong in our faith. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar