November 20, 2022
Gospel – December 2, 2019 – Matthew 8:5-11
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”
Have you ever had anyone – child, spouse, friend, co-worker – ask you for something, anything, and see the total trust in their eyes that, once they asked it, they knew it would be done?
How did that make you feel? Was it a feeling of panic? (Could you do it?) was it a feeling of being put upon? (Why me?)
Or were you amazed they had that much faith in you? That much trust? Did it insure you’d do anything to make it happen?
Jesus is amazed that this man’s faith was so strong – and not a Jew – that he didn’t question if Jesus could do it but if he would do it.
And of course Jesus – as always – rewards that faith by healing the servant.
Do we actually have that faith – not just claim it?
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 