From the responsorial psalm: “Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 7:1-10)
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.”
As Jesus approaches the centurion’s house, the centurion’s friends go and tell Jesus not to trouble himself to come in. Expressing his understanding of authority, the centurion gives as an example his commands to the soldiers, who obey him. He believes that Jesus can heal his servant by only speaking a word. Amazed at his words, Jesus says, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the friends return to the centurion’s home, they find the servant has been healed, confirming Jesus’ authority and the necessity of faith. We say the same words as the centurion at every Mass, expressing faith and the desire for unity, just before we receive Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
God, help me reflect throughout the day on the faith of the centurion. Help me realize that I can choose to keep you away from my door or invite you in. In beholding the Lamb of God—the unity of the Church through the presence of the Body of Christ—I ask for the grace to choose always to let you in. Saint Cyprian said: “Can anyone believe that he himself sticks fast to the faith without sticking fast to this unity of the Church? Can someone be confident that he himself is in the Church if he offers resistance to the Church and opposes her.” Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, pray for us!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.