Such Faith

June 28, 2008
Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, bishop and martyr

Rise up, shrill in the night, at the beginning of every watch; Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your little ones (Who faint from hunger at the corner of every street). Lamentations 2:19

The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Matthew 8:8-9

Piety

Father, give me the fortitude to approach you and pour out my heart to you with my deepest desires. Jesus, lift up your hands to me as if I am a hungry child on a street corner. Respond to me with the love and openness that you answered the prayers of the leper and Roman centurion. Holy Spirit, guide me in obedience and humility to praise and thank the Lord by my willing service to the least of these. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/062808a.shtml

Think of any big decision you have to make. Like most people you weigh the advantages and disadvantages, the proverbial “pro” and “con.”

Yet in the last two days, Jesus has been confronted by an outcast (the leper) and an oppressor (the Roman centurion). Not for a nanosecond did he hesitate to answer their prayers.

These encounters leave me with three questions:

Can we exhibit the strong faith shown by the leper and the centurion to turn to Jesus and ask Him to fulfill our deepest desire?

When we come face-to-face with the poor, can we with unwavering in love, just do whatever people ask of us?

After we experience any encounter with Jesus, especially one filled with healing, can we show the strong faith in action and return the love by serving those around us as we have been served?

As Jesus put the words of his ministry into action, Jesus never said, “If people see me with this leper, they won’t follow me or listen to me.” Jesus did not think, “If I help this centurion, then the Jews will treat me as a traitor.”

Contrast that with Peter in the wee small hours of an ancient Good Friday morning. When he was recognized by people in the courtyard as being a follower of Jesus, what images went through Peter’s mind? Perhaps he thought, “If they know I was with Jesus, then maybe I will be arrested, too. They might put me in jail, or worse. I could end up like John the Baptist.” So for Peter, it was just so much easier to save himself and deny Jesus.

But Jesus does not think that way. Jesus knows he is not here to save himself. He is here to save us. It does not matter if we are his family member, an outcast or an oppressor or the enemy. If we have faith and approach him in obedience and humility, he will answer us the same way he answered the centurion. “I will come and cure him.”

The only “pro” and “con” that Jesus knows is love. He behaves as if he were taking orders from the Roman centurion. People under his command and his slaves follow his orders because of his position and power. Jesus knows he has no position power. People must follow his commands because they freely choose to do so.

In the cases of the leper and centurion, we have no idea how they reacted to Jesus’ miracle. However, today, we see how Peter’s mother reacted. Again, Jesus moves quickly into action when he sees her in need.

Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. Matthew 8:14-15

Peter’s mother-in-law did not even have to ask for healing. Jesus saw her need, reached out and cured her with his simple, healing touch. His miracle was met with her service.

Most people who were cured by Jesus just got up and went about their lives. But here is one case where we learn something more. One interpretation from the “Women in the Bible” web site explains it this way: Peter’s mother-in-law, however, immediately rose and began to “serve” him. The Greek word for this service was “diakoneo” which can mean to prepare a table. It can also mean to “minister.” This same word was used to describe what Jesus did for us and commanded us to do for others.

But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

Action

Put Jesus words from Matthew 20 into action today. Who will you serve with “such faith?”