I Am Not Worthy

I Am Not Worthy

Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.  1 Corinthians 11:33

And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. Luke 7:6-7

Piety

“Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15

Study

The Magisterium had almost unlimited choices for prayers in the Mass.  Imagine the debate when considering what prayer the congregation as a whole would offer before walking up to share in the Eucharist.

They had the words of Mary to the angel (Luke 1:38) “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

They had the Canticle of Zechariah (Luke 1:78-79) “Because of the tender mercy of our Gods by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

They had the words of Simeon in the temple (Luke 2:29-32): “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

They had the words of John the Baptist (3:8): “Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance.”

They even had the words of Jesus in the temple including such choices as the Nazareth Manifesto (Luke 4:18-19): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

Yet, of all the characters to quote in the Mass before we have our moment closest to Jesus when he does indeed come under our roof, the Magisterium chose the words of a humble Roman centurion.  He was awed by the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth; the centurion would not personally go to be in the presence of the Lord.  Then, when he realized that Jesus was coming to his house, the centurion felt so unworthy, that he sent friends to tell Jesus not to come and why.   

This story about the faith of the centurion demonstrates that God shows no partiality – Jew or Gentile, progressive or traditional, Roman or Greek, leper or soldier.  Whoever fears him and acts righteously toward others is acceptable to God.

Action

“He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him, all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:42-43)

These days our Church leaders seem as divided as our national leaders.  Whom are we to follow? 

Think about that humble centurion the next time you get ready to walk up the Communion line or when you decide whom you want to stand behind in the recent controversies.