Gospel of Matthew, chapter 8:10

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached Him to ask His help, “Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly.” Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed. When Jesus heard this He was astonished and said to those who were following Him, “I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel.”

The centurion was certainly a pagan, an officer in the Roman military. He was clearly a good person, a man of good will. Yet this foreigner; this pagan; had the gift of faith, and he believed in Jesus who could cure his servant of his “dreadful suffering.” What’s more, the centurion was willing to expose himself to the censure of his superiors and to the back biting of his associates and subordinates by humbly asking Jesus to cure his servant. Jesus held up this man’s faith as an example to all of us.

Has Jesus found faith like this in you? Now is the time for strengthening your own faith. This is a good time to renew your trust in Jesus like the centurion who was not afraid to take risks. Life is a risk, but so is faith! Have you faith that God will watch over you in spite of the problems and difficulties you encounter in life? This is the faith that makes a way through the mountains and the valleys in your life.

The faith of the centurion is such an important symbol for the church that his response to Jesus: “I am not worthy to have you under my roof” is recited by every Catholic before the reception of the Eucharist at every mass.

Fr. Hugh Duffy