RBWords

     The words of the centurion should be familiar to us.  We say a version of them whenever we are about to receive communion!  Like so many other familiar "Catholic" phrases, we probably don't give these words a second thought.  Yet, as the gospel story today should remind us, these words were spoken by someone who was a pagan Gentile, a member of the occupying Roman army!  What the story does is to point out that this pagan Roman was also a man of generosity and open to faith.  He had never set eyes on Jesus but was willing to seek Jesus in faith on behalf of his servant.  Furthermore, through his generosity he had managed to win the respect and admiration of the Jewish elders who interceded with Jesus!  That was no mean accomplishment!  

     The Gospel of Luke has a consistent "missionary" thrust.  The "Kingdom" preached by Jesus was not meant just for the Jewish people, nor IS it meant just for Catholics or just for Christians.  The Kingdom invites all humanity to faith.  The text makes it plain that Jesus was "amazed" at the faith of this soldier and says that "not even in Israel have I found such faith."  I think those words should make us all pause for a moment and wonder if we take for granted what is new and amazing to those who are just coming to faith!  Furthermore, we might also wonder if we have lost that "missionary" or "evangelical" thrust of faith - what Pope Paul VI called the "hidden energy" of the gospel.  The first scripture for today is not from the gospel but captures the same missionary energy when it speaks of God's will that "everyone be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth."  I pray that we will all be able to be amazed at the faith of those from whom we least expect it!   AMEN