Matthew 8:5-11 NRSVue

⁵When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him ⁶and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.” ⁷And he said to him, “I will come and cure him.” ⁸The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹For 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.” ¹⁰When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹I tell you, many will come from east and west and will take their places at the banquet with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
The centurion amazed Jesus with his forthright expression and his respect. I pray that I may learn from my life as I live in a way that I hope helps others to live theirs.

Reflection
Jesus saw that the kingdom of heaven was open and inclusive. I ask that I may preserve the same breadth of vision and generosity in my outlook.

Reflection
I view the scene in my imagination. A confident, self assured Roman, born to lead, turns to a simple Jewish rabbi with a problem that is beyond his power.

Reflection
What is going on here? How am I moved by what I see and hear?

Reflection
When I look at this scene, how am I moved to respond to Jesus?

Reflection
The centurion was an officer of the imperial army, a man with power and status. He was begging a favour from a penniless itinerant teacher, and declaring himself unworthy even to entertain Jesus in his house. Jesus was amazed, not merely at the trust of the man, but at the fact that his love for his servant led him to cut through all the barriers of rank and race.