Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Father Edward McIlmail, LC, June 30, 2007

Matthew 8:5-17
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 person 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, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour his servant was healed. Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here as I begin this prayer. Thanks again for this chance to spend time with you. Please accept this effort at prayer as part of my atonement for past faults.

Petition: Help me to live up, Lord, to your expectations for me, as a believer who has received so many gifts in life.

1. Surprising Centurion. A commanding officer of a Roman century (a military unit comprising 100 men) would not have been a likely fan of Jesus. The centurion, a representative of the military presence of an occupying foreign power, did not have a task that would normally win many Jewish friends. Yet we see in him a man of integrity, for he recognizes and acknowledges Jesus´ special power. The officer is also a man of humility, seeing himself as unworthy of Jesus´ presence in his house. He recognizes his place as one under authority too. These human qualities impressed Jesus and prompted him to fulfill the centurion´s request. How do I measure up on human virtues? Am I a person of my word? Do I treat everyone with respect? Do I respect legitimate authority? Or do I think any kind of obedience is beneath me?

2. Into the Darkness. The Jews understood themselves as the chosen people of God. Yahweh, after all, had freed them from bondage in Egypt and had driven their enemies from the Promised Land. So it was not surprising that many of them saw foreigners as outside the bounds of God´s favor. Jesus tells a different message, however. The Kingdom is meant for everyone: Jew and Gentile alike. His Church will know no barriers, taking in every race and nation. Can I say that I think the same way? That Christ wants me to help share my faith with everyone? Or have I bracketed off people as somehow being outside Christ’s concern? It could be the nonbeliever next door or the in-law who has drifted from the faith. Do I ever feel proud that I´m not like "the rest" (see Luke 18:10ff). That could be a dangerous attitude.

3. She Waited on Him. There is a shift in the scene. Jesus now goes into Peter´s house and sees his ailing mother-in-law. This time, Jesus cures her without having to be asked. We notice her immediate reaction: She rises and begins to serve Our Lord. Her example should guide us. Have we responded in the same way after Jesus cured us from sin? If we go back to square one, so to speak, after a conversion, that is not enough. Jesus wants us to do more with our lives than merely avoid sin. He wants us to work for him in building up his Church. Might there be something I can do right now to serve Christ? Are there souls I can help through my work: teaching CCD? contributing my business skills to the parish? helping to promote adoration for vocations to my diocese?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have given me so much through the gift of my faith. Help me to respond by sharing it with others in a more effective way. Show me the way to reach out to other souls.

Resolution: Today I will offer up a decade of the rosary for a friend´s conversion.