‘ Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed’ (Mt 8:8). These words came not from a practising Jew. It was a confession made by a Roman centurion who had a hundred soldiers under his authority. They were ready to do any work at his command. And on his part, he himself acknowledged his submission to authority. ‘I am also a man 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’ (Mt. 8:9). It was one of the two instances where the gospel describes Jesus as amazed. Such was the faith of the centurion.
The second instance was when he witnessed the unbelief of his own people. It happened at Nazareth, his hometown. Because of their unbelief, he could do only a few miracles there. The Scripture says that ‘he (Jesus) was amazed at their unbelief (Mk 6:6).
They are two extremes. The gentile Roman Centurion’s faith was so amazing. The unbelief of the chosen people also was equally amazing.
We remember the centurion’s words during the Holy Mass. ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.’ It is a prayer said immediately before the Holy Communion. These are words of humility. We are confessing our unworthiness to receive Jesus Christ into our heart. At the same time it is a statement of trust as well. We, like the centurion, are expressing confidence in God’s power to heal our souls, and trust in his mercy to hear our pleas.
The Gentile centurion and the Jews of Nazareth are representative of two types of people coming to receive Holy Communion. One coming with faith and trust and the other coming with disbelief. The centurion saw a miracle happening, whereas the people of Nazareth missed their chance to see a hundred miracles. Holy Communion is a miracle in itself, and it will produce further miracles in our life provided we approach it with humility, faith, and trust. Those who complain about the inefficacy of the Eucharist need to do an introspection as to whom they follow in the church; the centurion or the people of Nazareth. Acknowledging our unworthiness, and trusting in God’s mercy are the first steps for a true confession without which the reception of Holy Communion will be but a ritual.
(www.v-catholic.com)
