The Faith-filled Centurion

Matthew 8 is packed with some of the most moving stories!

I love the Centurion's tale. I can't help seeing Ernest Borgnine as my own centurion as he did such an excellent job in the movie. But, as I dwell on the moment I see even more than what was conveyed in the movie.

Oh so much love! So great a reverence this man has for Jesus! Truly, I dare say that he is worshiping Jesus as he makes his request for the healing of his servant. And Jesus is utterly moved by his request. Oh such a look of concern and urgency upon His beautiful face and He immediately begins hurrying in the direction of the centurion's home, as He assure him "I will come right a way and heal him!"

But the man holds onto Jesus to stop Him and now is falling to his knees at Jesus' feet! I am so moved by this sight! Oh how I love this man who loves my Lord! The centurion shamelessly professes his faith before the whole crowd in the famous discourse which has been forever acknowledged by the Church in the very midst of the Eucharistic celebration: "...Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof, speak but the words and my servant shall be healed!"

Jesus embraces the man and the soldier cannot contain his emotions. In front of the whole crowd of "lowly" townsfolk he is crying. I am crying at the humility and love of this man. I want to see him again, want to visit his home and see how he will explain this to his family. I want to see them all in the Upper Room during the novena before Pentecost.

The Master's Dog

Here is a lady in great need of healing for her demon-possessed daughter. She has caught sight of Jesus coming into her region. Only just yesterday she was in the loneliness of her bedroom, on her knees pleading to God (as she knows Him) for deliverance from this filthy demon who has taken her beautiful girl, a young teen who would have been quite pretty had her hair not been matted and unkempt and her face not been twisted and distorted, eyes bugging out, teeth clenched and mouth foaming; her speech sounding unnatural and her words being the obscenities of satan. Oh how the tears of pain have poured out from the eyes of this victim's mother!

As she makes her way to the village well, she sees the band of Christ's followers approaching. Her heart skips a beat as she catches sight of Jesus. Her God has answered her prayer. She drops her jug and bolts out toward Him, screaming as she runs, "Lord have mercy on me! Son of David! I am the one whose daughter is possessed!" She speaks as if Jesus has been looking for her. The apostles are annoyed and think she is just a bother to Jesus since He is not answering her at first. She is obviously a Canaanite with her distinctive dress and accent.

Jesus looks curiously at her. I can see the twinkle in His eyes but He is hiding the smile that usually accompanies that twinkle. "I was sent to the lost sheep of Israel," He teasingly says to her. She, on her part, has great hope written all over her face. Her tears have dried and there is no apparent doubt in these eyes. Despite the frowns of the apostles she walks straight up to Jesus, though she has never been this physically close to Him before, and falls to her knees, hugging His ankles as if she will never let Him get away as she calmly and confidently pleads, "Help me, Lord."

Knowing all things, both her faults and her virtues, Jesus continues to tease her using words of her own mouth that she had spoken just days before. She had remarked to another Canaanite woman that 'the Nazarene helps the lost sheep of Israel but He doesn't bother to come our way out here in Tyre. I guess we are not worthy of Him. We might as well be dogs,' she had sneered. Yet in her heart of hearts she had prayed that God really would bring Him.

"It is not good to take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs," remarks our Lord. The lady smiles an embarrassed smile, remembering her own frivolous remark. 

"Yes, Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from the Master's table!" The apostles are confused and feeling like they have been left out of something here; all except John, who clutches the hand of the Blessed Mother as they exchange sideways glances and dimpled grins.

Now I see the smile so familiar to me as a hardy laugh breaks forth from the Master's mouth. "O woman! Your faith is great!" and He draws her to Himself. "It shall be done for you as you wish!"

And as she reluctantly slips away from this holy embrace she whispers softly, "I love You!"

Jesus continues moving on from there looking back to her as she stands and waves with adoring eyes. He lets out another jolly laugh and throws His hand up high into the air in a gesture of blessing as His twinkling eye catches hers one last time.

(Jesus breaks all human rules here, though He follows staunchly the rules of Love. He is so fun and personable in these scenes whenever I see Him meeting with someone for, supposedly, the first time. He very evidently has already known the person deeply forever.)

The Pharisees' Complaint

Jesus has just recently fed thousands of people Holy Bread that He created for them. He nourished their bodies, minds and souls with this Bread of Life. But some Pharisees have been looking on and it irritates them greatly. He is drawing the crowds away from them. They are afraid of losing respect in the eyes of the common people. It annoys them that Jesus overlooks their common habits and accepts such vulgar behavior from them. He doesn't make them wash their hands before eating, for instance.

Jesus is so aware of what is in their hearts. He knows their sins-- so much greater than the sins of His innocent flock! "You can point out what you think are the faults of others but you have no concern about improving your own poor condition of conscience." Jesus goes on with words like these, convicting these teachers of their own violations of the Law that they propose to defend. The apostles are worried for Him because of how boldly He states His case.

Finally, Jesus stands up and begins to steer His flock away from these false teachers, signaling His own to follow Him out so a that He may speak intimately to them and protect them from the accusations of the scribes. He is greatly perturbed that they should overlook the innocence of these children of God in order to criticize them for such a trivial offense as not washing their hands.

But Peter wants to make sure he understands Jesus and asks Him for a clearer statement on the whole situation. Jesus becomes a bit stern with him because He wants Peter to be on the same wavelength about the whole thing. Jesus is anxious to defend His innocent lambs from those ravenous wolves. Peter, like me, I am afraid to say, sometimes falls into the trap of imitating the pharisees: comparing himself to others, noticing what others are doing wrong, bringing their faults to the attention of Jesus instead of refining his own character.

(My contemplation shifted at this point as Jesus began to address my own actions of the day.)
To my surprise, Jesus pulls me aside and begins instructing me concerning the pharisees. "Do not imitate them, My love. Do not presume that you know the faults of others. Oh how wrong you can be! But even if others have faults, it will do you no good to contemplate them. Put them out of your mind and notice instead what comes out of your own mouth: complaints about what you had to endure at the hands of others, accusations about others' intentions. Did you not suffer others' wrongs cheerfully? Did you not use the time of waiting for others as an offering to Me for their salvation?

"How can the world be saved if My own hands refuse to reach out and touch them? How can the sinner hear God calling if My own mouth refuses to speak? How can the fallen soul rise if My own legs will not run to his rescue? My love! My love! Desire perfection! I desire that YOU desire perfection."

(Just a note here: Jesus' words of conviction are so different than the accusations of satan! His words effect sorrow for my sin and inspire change in my heart and soul. The accusations of the evil one only cause desolation.)