Matthew 8:5-17 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, ¹²while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour.

¹⁴When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; ¹⁵he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. ¹⁶That evening they brought to him many who were possessed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
Can we capture the style of the centurion, a Roman officer, commander in an occupying force, who with the utmost politeness asks this Jewish teacher for help? His sensitivity (he felt an observant Jew might be reluctant to enter the house of a Gentile) and humility so astonished early Christians that they incorporated his words into the liturgy of the Eucharist: /Lord I am not worthy to receive you under my roof./

Reflection
Lord, I can receive you in Holy Communion day by day. May I welcome you with the same reverence as the Roman, and the same expectation that you will bring healing.

Reflection
Here we see yet another counter-cultural action of Jesus. He offers to go to the house of a Gentile, an action which would make him unclean in the eyes of the disciples and the usual crowd that followed him. Jesus' life and prayer showed him that the narrow definitions of race, gender and holiness were false. One eye went to those who welcomed him, and the other eye looked to whoever might be called the 'outsider'. We may feel like an 'outsider' to God sometimes. That's a particularly rich moment for prayer if we can bring it honestly before God in our prayer.

Reflection
Faith has its results. The centurion's prayer was heard because of a strong faith. Our prayers may be heard in different ways, as all the time we pray in faith that God cares for us and knows us, and grants us what is best. We may ask for something and get something better. No moment of faith or prayer is wasted but brings good in our own lives or in the lives of others.

Reflection
Jesus was not ready for this expression of faith but recognised and appreciated it sign of God at work. I pray that I may be open to detecting signs of faith around me.

Reflection
The centurion displayed a great compassion for his servant. I allow my heart to be moved as I think of those in need. I bring their needs before God.