9/12/2022 (Monday) Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 7:1-10
1 When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him.
3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
4 They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him,
5 for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
6 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.
7 Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.
8 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.”
9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
9/12/2022 (Monday) Today’s Gospel Reflection: Luke 7:1-10
A centurion is a member of the Roman army which was considered as the oppressor of the Jewish People. It is therefore very surprising that one of them would be a believer in Jesus. That is why, Jesus Himself expressed amazement at his great faith which surpasses that of any Israelite.
Indeed, faith can come from unexpected places and faith may not necessarily come from people we expect to have it. We should take the cue from Jesus and be opened to anyone who desires to be in our communities. Racism should have no place in everyone’s heart.
We pray that one day, there will be no more oppressor and no one is oppressed, that everyone will have the faith like that of the centurion, that everyone is healed, and that people of all races are united in spirit and in truth.