4th Sunday After Pentecost

(Matthew 8:5-13)

Today’s Gospel reading tells us of the centurion who beseeched the Lord to heal his paralyzed servant. Even though this centurion did not come from the line of Israel, our Lord Jesus Christ marveled at his faith and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” What was it about the faith of the centurion that drew such praise from our Lord? What aspects of faith did the centurion demonstrate that so pleased God and how can we recognize and acquire this God-pleasing faith? The centurion demonstrated three primary virtues in his interaction with our Lord. These God-pleasing virtues are intercession, humility, and trust in God.

The centurion, though he was a Roman soldier, had heard of the miracles and teachings of Christ and recognized His authority and Lordship. Though he was in charge of many men, he was concerned for the illness of his servant who was paralyzed. This concern for what might be called the least among his charges demonstrates the selfless and active attention to others, born out of love. We are reminded of the Lord’s parable of the lost sheep, in which the shepherd risks leaving the ninety-nine to find that one sheep that has gone astray. The centurion clearly recognizes the power and authority of Christ, but he does not approach our Lord to seek anything for himself, he is entirely focused on interceding for the servant whom he loved and for whom he had such concern. Obviously the paralyzed servant was not able to come before the Lord, but the centurion had this opportunity to stand in the presence of the One Who has the power to heal all illnesses, and so he beseeched the Lord on behalf of his servant.

This is what we must do as well. We have the opportunity to stand in the presence of God – tangibly so, here in church where the Lord presents Himself upon the altar – but also at all times if we only build our awareness of God who is ‘everywhere present and fillest all things’. It is our Christian duty and privilege to pray for each other – remembering those who need our prayers: the sick, the suffering, those that are traveling, we must remember the dead and pray for their blessed repose. We must have this sense of connection to one another – sharing each other’s joys and sorrows and interceding in prayer for one another. Look around you… these are your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are blessed to share this time and this place together and we should look upon one another as a parish family, for that is what we are. May we all emulate the care and concern of the Centurion from today’s Gospel in his zeal to call upon the Lord in intercessory prayer for the one whom he loved.

Secondly, we must marvel along with the Lord at the great humility of the centurion. Here was a man in authority, an officer of the Roman army, who was so motivated by his intercessory love and faith in Christ that he risked approaching Him to ask for His prayers. And when our Lord indicated that He would come to the house of the centurion to heal his servant, what was the response? The centurion replied, “I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” We shall talk about the great faith of this statement in a moment, but let us focus now on the extreme humility expressed here. “I am not worthy that You should come under my roof.” What a beautiful and heartfelt statement expressing the realization of the purity and greatness of God as opposed to the impurity and baseness of ourselves. Indeed this statement of the centurion has been immortalized as one of the key prayers of the Orthodox Church as we prepare for Holy Communion, we read, “O Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy or sufficient that Thou shouldest come under the roof of the house of my soul, for all is desolate and fallen, and Thou hast not with me a place fit to lay Thy head.” It is this cry of humility, this broken and contrite spirit that God shall not despise, which pleases our Lord and causes Him to marvel at the humble centurion.

Lastly, it is the faith, trust, and complete confidence in God that makes the centurion a model for us today. The centurion, though he was a Roman officer and not a Jew, recognized the divinity of Jesus Christ and the authority which He had over men and their diseases, both physical and spiritual. He approached our Lord in humility, but with utter confidence that God could heal his servant if He so desired. And when our Lord indicated that He would indeed come to the centurion’s house to heal this servant, the humility of the centurion shied away from asking God to come into his house. But the faith and trust of the centurion knew that all Jesus had to do was give the word and his servant would be healed. The centurion did not hesitate, he did not doubt, instead he placed his entire trust and faith in the word of the Lord. When Jesus heard this, he marveled, and said to those around Him, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” And indeed our Lord told him, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done to you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the lessons from today’s Holy Gospel are profound and essential for us all. We must understand the power of prayer and realize our great privilege and duty to intercede for each other. It is this intercessory prayer which links the living and the dead, which links all of us together as a Christian family: concerned about each other and caring for each other in this way. As we approach the Lord in our prayer, let us take the example of the centurion and his extreme humility… approaching God’s holiness with that contrite heart that knows our unworthiness and our place in relationship to God. And, finally, let us share with the centurion his complete and undivided trust and faith in God.

Intercessory prayer, humility, and trust in God – these are the lessons Christ places before us in today’s Holy Gospel. Let us show concern and love for each other and become active intercessors for each other in prayer. Let us approach the Lord with our requests in humility and with a contrite heart. And let us have strong faith, and cultivate that faith and trust in God, that we may turn to Him at all times as our loving heavenly Father.