June 28, 2025

Matthew 8:5-17

In today’s reading, a Roman centurion came to Jesus asking for his servant to be healed of paralysis. Jesus responded that he would come to the centurion’s house and cure the servant. But the centurion, in a reversal of the worldly power structure, said he was not worthy of Jesus entering under his roof.  And being familiar with hierarchical structures of authority in the Roman army, the centurion expressed confidence that Jesus could heal from afar, just as the centurion himself commanded troops from a distance. He said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus was amazed at his faith, and said, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at the moment, the servant was healed. 

This healing remotely from Jesus’ physical presence gives us hope indeed that even now, when he no longer walks this earth, he commands the angels and sends healing to us as we pray.  And that indeed we can pray for healing for those who are not physically in our presence.

Jesus was so amazed at the centurion’s faith that he took a moment to give a teaching and a prediction about it.  He said, “In no one in Israel have I found such faith,” noting that the centurion was Roman, and yet full of humility and belief in Jesus’ ability to heal remotely.  Jesus then predicted what eventually came true, that “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,” presumably refering to the Gentiles beyond Israel’s borders. “But the children of the kingdom,” he continued, meaning the Israelites, “will be driven out into outer darkness.” Of course we human beings can’t comment on people’s fate or what happens in heaven, but truly Jesus’ teachings did later spread among the Gentiles and not so much among the Israelites.

Another lesson we can draw from this reading is the way that people apply their worldly experience to interpreting the divine presence.  In the case of the centurion, he applied his experience of hierarchical command to the situation, which was accurate and blessed. In modern times, sometimes people apply an industrial, capitalistic, or mechanistic understanding to God’s work. Sometimes we are so enamored of science, which of course is valuable and beautiful, but this may block us from seeing beyond the limits of current scientific understanding. This can prevent us from experiencing directly the presence, power, and transformative activity of God.

Similarly, some people have become so programmed by their political views that even their reading of the Holy Scriptures is filtered through their worldly beliefs and biases. This is a kind of spiritual blindness, and it is most unfortunate.

Modern life is fraught with pitfalls. Let us be patient with one another. Amen.