Prepare a Place for Jesus to exercise his authority

In Capernaum there was a Roman centurion who had a servant who was very ill. The Gospel of Luke tell us the servant was ill and dying (Lk 7:1-10); the Gospel of Matthew says the servant was paralyzed and suffering (Mt. 8:5-13). This centurion is not a Jew, but a Roman officer and a gentile. Yet he has heard about Jesus and so seeks him out. In Luke’s Gospel, he even sends the Jewish elders and his staff out to Jesus, instead of going himself, believing himself unworthy to approach Jesus.

Both Gospels recount, in the same way, the centurion’s reasoning for approaching Jesus: “For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Mt 8:9; Lk 7:8). The centurion did not say this to flatter Jesus. He was simply stating that facts about how authority works.

The centurion calls Jesus “Lord” and knows that Jesus needed to “only say the word and my servant will be healed.” In both Gospels, we are told that Jesus was “amazed” by this, and says that nowhere “in Israel have I found such faith.” (Mt 8:10; Lk 7:9). The words of the centurion are acts of faith since he recognizes Jesus’ power to heal, which must come from Jesus’ authority.  If the human authority to which the centurion was a subject is effective with mere words, how much more effective is the word of the Son of God?

The centurion’s faith had been prepared by living under authority and by hearing about Jesus. From those experiences he recognized what Jesus could do if Jesus exercised his authority, leading him to simply trust Jesus.

In both Gospels, the centurion also insists, out of humility, that the Lord not come all the way to him, “for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof” (Mt 8:8; Lk 7:6). So Jesus does not physically enter the centurion’s house, saying “As you have believed, let it be done for you”. Mt. 8:13. The servant was healed. By acting from a distance, using only his words, Jesus validated the centurion’s faith.

Every time we go to Mass, we echo the centurion’s words: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” In humility, we acknowledge, and invite Jesus to exercise, his authority to heal our souls.

Do we struggle with the idea of God’s authority? His ability or willingness to heal our souls? Do we limit our belief, and thus limit what we allow God to do for us? Are we burdened with pride? We can prepare a place this Advent for Jesus to exercise his authority by praying for an increase in faith and humility and acknowledging the authority of God over all things. With that place prepared, with only His word, Jesus can heal our souls.