Thoughts for the Day

After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’ And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set 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 this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The healing of the centurion's slave also occurs in Matthew's Gospel, but this account in Luke is slightly fuller as we might expect from the writer who is concerned with outcasts, women, and those on the edge of the the Jewish world. Perhaps we can remind ourselves of the background to the story. The Hebrew nation were a subject nation, ruled by the Romans, and centurions were an important part of the army. In command of about 80 men, they were rather like a Serjeant Major today and were the backbone of command in the Roman army.

But loo k at what we learn about this centurion: He is sensitive to the issues involved in his request, he knows that no Jew would enter a Gentile house, lest he become 'unclean'; he is generous, having built a synagogue for the Jews; he is humble, asking the Jewish elders to go to Jesus with his request; he is compassionate, instead of killing his slave who cannot work (which was normal) he wishes to see him healed; and he has complete faith in Jesus' ability to heal his slave, even from a distance.

The centurion is nevertheless an enemy of this subject nation, but Jesus says, "Not even in Israel have I found such faith". If Jesus can use an enemy soldier to teach the people about true faith, this story can also speak to us. God can use those we dislike or distrust, or ignore, to teach us about real faith if only we will look up, and as they say, "smell the coffee!"

Father-God,
may we learn to be
as sensitive,
as generous,
as humble,
as compassionate,
and as full of faith
as the centurion.
Help us not to make
negative judgements about others,
but treat all equally
as Your children.
Amen.