GOSPEL POWER | JUNE 26, 2021 | SATURDAY | Saint Josemaria Escriva, Priest 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mt 8: 5 – 17

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him 6and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.” And he said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.” When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour. When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

Reflection

Faith shapes character. Thus, a person of genuine faith  usually possesses other admirable traits. Jesus immediately  senses the centurion’s benevolence, even before this man  expresses a faith that amazes him by its extraordinary depth. The  centurion’s concern for a sick servant and the trouble he takes to  ask Jesus to cure him manifest how he values those who are inferior  to him. He is also mindful of the religious sensibility of Jews, who  normally do not enter a Gentile house to avoid ritual uncleanness.  This prompts him to express his unworthiness to have Jesus under  his roof. This profound respect for a Jewish taboo becomes the  context for expressing his faith in Jesus’ power to heal at a distance  and by a mere word-of-command. Because of this foreigner’s amazing  faith, Jesus begins to envision a reversal of fortunes that will render  the first (chosen nation) last and the last (Gentiles) first. The postEaster mission of his disciples will see the realization of this upsidedown vision.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, may faith, which is your gift, mold us into the persons you  want us to be. Amen