Today’s Scripture Readings

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, in terrible distress.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

Words spoken long ago by a Roman centurion echo through time and resound in our hearts every time we prepare to receive the Eucharist. He proclaims, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed”, which are deeply personal and profoundly humble. We now join our voice with the centurion, recognising our need for healing and Christ’s power to bring it.

The centurion’s faith is remarkable. He was an outsider, a Gentile, yet he approached Jesus with unwavering belief. He tells Jesus, “I also am a man under authority,” revealing not only his understanding of command but also his deep insight into Jesus’ authority. He trusts that Jesus need not enter his house, and that a word alone would heal. This depth of faith astonishes even Jesus.

Matthew includes this encounter to reveal the importance of a heart that is open to grace. His Gospel was written to inspire his own community and to let us know the living presence of Christ Jesus, who is among us here and now. For those early Christians, and for us today, the power of this encounter lies in its invitation to trust that Christ can heal, even what feels unreachable.

As we echo the centurion’s words at Mass, we are invited to share the same humility and faith. We bring to Christ whatever is broken, lost or burdened, confident that a single word can heal what is wounded, restore what is lost and lead us to his light.

In this simple yet profound act of faith, the centurion becomes our guide. His trust opens a path for us toward a living relationship with Christ, where mercy is real, and healing is possible. Even now.