Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 15: 1-32
September 12, 2022 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

When Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went to Capernaum. A Roman military officer lived there, whose servant was very sick and near to death, a man very dear to him. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to persuade him to come and save his servant’s life. The elders came to Jesus and begged him earnestly, saying, “He deserves this of you, for he loves our people and even built a synagogue for us.”

Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house, when the Roman officer sent friends to give this message, “Sir, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to welcome you under my roof. You see, I didn’t approach you myself. Just give the order, and my servant will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to the other, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

On hearing these words, Jesus was filled with admiration. He turned and said to the people with him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” The people, sent by the captain, went back to his house; there they found that the servant was well.

Today’s Reflection:

The Roman centurion approached Jesus and asked for healing for his servant. The Lord was amazed at the deep faith of this pagan man. In return, he was privileged to be the first among the people to experience God’s miracle. The Gospel today teaches us that no one is excluded from the mercy of God. He hears the plea of those who call him. Indeed while the Jews closed their hearts to the saving works of God, the centurion submitted himself to Christ. Christ was amazed at the faith he found in that man, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such a faith.” A non-Jew became a part of God’s redemptive work.

St. Augustine on this Gospel scene said: “Saying to himself [the Roman centurion] unworthy, he showed himself worthy that Christ should enter not his house but his heart. He would not have said this with such faith and humility if he had not taken into his heart the One whom he was so anxious to welcome into his home. For it would not have been great happiness if the Lord Jesus had entered his house and not been in his heart” (Sermon 62,1). May we always approach Jesus with a heart full of faith and humility; such a disposition certainly pleases our Lord. /Vulnerasti, 2022