The Faith of the Centurion

"Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour."

Matthew 8:13 NKJV

The story of the centurion of Capernaum continues to challenge us to believe beyond all expectations, despite the risk of remaining unanswered. Faith is not afraid to take risks; it knows it must dare. Those who have a sick relative and are experiencing the drama of caregiving and/or accompaniment will have no difficulty seeing themselves in the shoes of this man who has deep suffering in his heart for his servant. It is not, therefore, a family relationship that prompts him to turn to Jesus. There is something that goes beyond blood ties. Behind the figure of this individual, we can glimpse all those in the church who care for others. His words, steeped in pain, highlight our selfishness, focused exclusively on our own lives. The lives of others pass before our eyes, most of the time unnoticed. The Bible reminds us, however, to smile with those who smile and suffer with those who suffer (Romans 12:15). Each of us is unique, and that is why we must learn to recognize the needs of others based on their specific circumstances.

Jesus does not hesitate to agree to the Roman soldier's request; in fact, he goes beyond his expectations: “I will come and heal him” (v. 7), making himself available to go to his house. Who knows if the same words could be addressed to you today. That is why I would like to understand with you what prompted that response. The first thing that comes to mind is that the request was not centered on the selfish need of the interlocutor, but was motivated by the same suffering that the servant was going through and that had moved his master's heart. Another man, the father of the epileptic boy, will ask for help with his heart in his hand (Mark 9:14 ff.). We need to nurture within ourselves that sensitivity to feel the suffering of those who are slowly dying without God's grace, so that a “passion for souls” and compassion for those in pain may blossom in us. May our spirit once again be driven not by all that is carnal, but by that which is spiritual. What are we doing to ensure that the Gospel breaks down the walls of indifference? What are we doing to ensure that it continues to save the lost?

In Luke's account (7:1-10), it is reported that the soldier turned to the priests to ask them to speak to Jesus about the condition of his servant. They emphasized how the centurion had done many good deeds for the Jewish people, as if to beg for a deserved intervention. Their mentality was still relegated to the Old Covenant. This is the attitude of those who follow Christ according to their own thoughts and hopes, losing sight of the fact that our actions must take into account His centrality. The centurion, despite being a man of authority, knows that he can do nothing: he is weak and shows himself to be humble. In response to Jesus, with unique modesty, he expresses his sense of unworthiness at the possibility of welcoming him into his home. He also knows that he is Roman while Jesus is Jewish, and that Jews did not enter the homes of Romans to avoid becoming unclean. Furthermore, as a man of authority, the soldier understands well that Jesus' word has power over good and evil, over death and sickness, and asks only for that. The centurion recognizes the power of His word, while we often do not believe that it can also be directed at our lives.

Faced with a person who is humbly recognizing the power of God's word, Jesus declares that he has not seen such faith in any other man in Israel. Jesus' words took effect and the servant was healed. We sometimes think that the exercise of faith requires long journeys, arduous paths, and years of waiting or theological preparation. It may be true that God's intervention is not always immediate, but to believe, ask, and receive takes only a moment, as much as that mustard seed mentioned by the Lord. It was a moment of faith when the woman with the issue of blood approached Jesus in the crowd and touched his garment, having decided in her heart that this would be enough to heal her. Let this be the right moment: ask now!

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Weekly Bible Reading Plan #48

November 24, Ezekiel 22-23; 1 Peter 1

November 25, Ezekiel 24-26; 1 Peter 2

November 26, Ezekiel 27-29; 1 Peter 3

November 27, Ezekiel 30-32; 1 Peter 4

November 28, Ezekiel 33-34; 1 Peter 5

November 29, Ezekiel 35-36; 2 Peter 1

November 30, Ezekiel 37-39; 2 Peter 2