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Yet, just as Jesus’ word made Jesus present to the servant of the centurion, even though Jesus was at a physical distance from the servant, so the Lord’s word brings him close to us now. Like the centurion, we are called to trust in the power of Jesus’ word even though he is at a physical distance from us. Jesus is not physically present to us, as he was to those among whom he lived and worked in Galilee and Judea. Jesus recognizes him as a forerunner of all those pagans from east and west who will come to respond to the future preaching of the gospel and will take their place at the banquet of eternal life.
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He wants Jesus to heal his servant at a distance because as a pagan he feels unworthy to have this Jewish man of God come visit his home.
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Just as he, as a man of authority in the Roman army, can get things done at a distance by ordering his servants to go and do it, so he believes that Jesus can get things done at a distance just by means of his word. This pagan soldier displays a trusting faith in the power of Jesus’ word. It is often the case in the gospels that great faith can be found beyond the boundaries of what would have been considered the community of faith. Yet, he is an outsider to the Jewish world, being a pagan and a soldier of the occupying army. The Roman centurion in today’s gospel reading is one of the very striking characters of the gospels. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” 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.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof only say the word and my servant will be healed. Many will come from the east and the west into the Kingdom of heaven. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’ For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me and I say to one man: Go, and he goes to another: Come here, and he comes to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof just give the word and my servant will be cured. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘I am not worthy to have you under my roof: give the word, and my servant will be healed’. Monday, First Week of Advent: ‘Nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this’. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on