Today's Ornament of Grace for Monday of the first week of Advent is the Roman Centurion.
from Matthew 8:5-11
As Jesus entered Capernaum, a Centurion approached him with this request: “Sir, my serving boy is at home in bed paralyzed, suffering painfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” “Sir,” the Centurion said in reply, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will get better…”.
The Roman Centurion in today’s Gospel seeks out Jesus to help his servant who is extremely ill. How did he know to do that?
Roman Centurions were generally not loved by the Jewish people. They commanded 100 soldiers of the occupational force. Charged with keeping order among the conquered people, Centurions were often very involved in the daily life of those they ruled and kept their forces busy with projects in the occupied towns. They even constructed synagogues, as a favor to the Jews, though Romans worshipped pagan gods.
While this Centurion had to be tough to keep his job, he may have had the good political sense to be friendly with the Jewish people in order to hear any news that might be going around. Since Matthew’s Gospel with the Sermon on the Mount comes just before this incident, it’s possible word might have reached the Roman soldier about Jesus, His great love for His people, and His miraculous powers.
Perhaps that is why this Centurion sought Jesus’ help when he got word his servant was so sick. That raises another question. How did he have such faith, trusting that Jesus could cure his servant without even coming to his home? True, he compared Jesus’ power to his own ability to give orders to his soldiers and expect them to be carried out. Yet, it seems to be more than that. The Centurion had to have an open heart, a heart that Jesus could touch, and a heart that could trust Jesus completely. This Centurion set all his pride aside and asked a Jew to help him. He put away any spite he may have had for the Jews who hated him, and just looked at Jesus’ goodness. So, the Centurion was a man with a humble heart, and Jesus recognized this.
Let us reflect on this faith-filled, humble soldier the next time we say the words of the Centurion at Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…,” This Roman was also selfless, in one way at least. He was asking Jesus for a favor, not for himself, but out of love for his servant who was so deathly ill.
We can bring our requests before the Lord – truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - in the Blessed Sacrament Will Jesus find our hearts humble and open, trusting that He wants to heal and make us and those for whom we pray wholly alive in His love? Can we really believe and hold onto that faith, even if things don’t seem to be moving in the direction we expect? Will He be amazed at our faith as He was with that of the Roman Centurion? Maybe this Advent, as we take time to reflect on how the Lord became a tiny, helpless baby in order to save us, we can begin to put ourselves helplessly in the hands of an almighty God and simply learn to believe His is the only power that can save.
OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS
What Advent activities might help us open our hearts humbly in faith before an all-powerful Savior?
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