Word to the Wise
Monday, December 2, 2013 - 1st Week of Advent - Mon
[Isa 2:1-5 (or, in Year A, Isa 4:2-6) and Matt 8:5-11]Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.
These words of the centurion are among the most familiar to us if only because we say them just before we receive communion! The centurion puts his faith in Jesus' WORD and does not need to have Jesus actually come to his house to heal the servant. Jesus marvels at the faith of a "pagan" soldier and wonders why such faith was lacking in Israel! Of course, the centurion was accustomed to having his orders obeyed, which may have helped him to believe that Jesus could do the same!
Sometimes I wonder if we say the same words but with the idea that we don't want Jesus to get any closer to where we really live. We want the healing but not the presence? "My house is too messy!" This might be a sign to us that we need to "clean house" or at least "tidy up" instead of keeping Jesus at arms length or further! Advent is a good time to do that. Which "gift" in this season would mean more: another "thing" we don't need, or the love, mercy and forgiveness that we DO need? AMEN