Reading: Lam 2:2,10-14,18-19; Ps. 74; Matt. 8:5-17
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
PUTTING OUR FAITH INTO POSITIVE ACTION LIKE THE ROMAN CENTURION
In our Catechism classes, we were taught that faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused in us by God. Little wonder our levels of faith are not the same. However, our gift of faith grows depending on our disposition and utilisation of the gift. That is why, when Jesus invites people to faith and conversion, he does not coerce them; rather, they come to faith through their good disposition and utilisation of their experience with Him.
This is exactly the case with the Roman centurion in our Gospel passage today, who sorts help for his sick servant, he approached Jesus for healing, but when Jesus accepted to come to his home, the centurion hesitates, feeling unworthy of Jesus’ presence in his home, said to him “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed”.
Here the centurion believes that Jesus can speak a word of healing, and that will be enough to cure his servant. He has total faith and trust in the power of Jesus’ word. For him, the servant did not even have to hear Jesus speak the word: it was enough that the word was spoken. Jesus praised his faith and genuine humility. Today, these words of the centurion have become a pattern of prayer for us, that before Holy Communion we say them passionately because his faith and compassion are inspiring examples for us to follow.
This is exactly the kind of faith that all of us must have as well. The faith that leads us to seek God wholeheartedly, to be humble before Him and to love Him above all and not to allow our pride, ego and desires to lead us into faithlessness, disobedience and sin against God.
We are also called to trust God at all times, for He is always ready and able to help, so that we do not lament like the people in our first reading today. For they kept saying to their mothers, ‘Where is the bread? As they fainted like wounded men in the squares of the City, as they poured out their souls on their mothers’ breasts. Who can rescue and comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For as huge as the sea is, your affliction; who can possibly cure you?
Dear friends, what is our disposition towards the gift of faith that God has given to us? Do we have total faith and trust in God, just like the Centurion, or lament like the people in our first reading? The fact remains that our experiences of evil, injustice, suffering and death can shake or shape the gift of faith in us depending on our disposition towards the situation.
Remember, the Centurion interceded for his sick servant, do we intercede for others who require God’s healing and mercy? Do we know that we can speak God’s word in prayer and someone, somewhere, will find healing? Do we often, like this Centurion, recognise in all humility our unworthiness before God? We are called today to cultivate an act of faith and genuine humility in prayers just like the Roman Centurion.
LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are weak and oftentimes we display an act of faithlessness due to the pressure and challenges of life. Through the intercessions of our Mother Mary, may the Lord increase our faith and make us humble and patient in doing His will. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.
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