The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to contemplate the role of faith in our response to the events of life and our perception of our fortune.
Only say the Word
The reading from the Book of Genesis describes an encounter with God where a son is promised to Abraham and Sarah.
* [18:3] Abraham addresses the leader of the group, whom he does not yet recognize as the Lord; in the next two verses he speaks to all three men. The other two are later (Gn 19:1) identified as angels. The shifting numbers and identification of the visitors are a narrative way of expressing the mysterious presence of God.1
The response from the Gospel of Luke is Mary’s Song of Praise.
* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker.2
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus heals a Centurion’s servant and many at Peter’s house.
* [8:17] This fulfillment citation from Is 53:4 follows the MT, not the LXX. The prophet speaks of the Servant of the Lord who suffers vicariously for the sins (“infirmities”) of others; Matthew takes the infirmities as physical afflictions.3
Thomas Lenz read today’s Gospel from Matthew and realized where the statement in the Mass, “Lord I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof, but only say the Word and my soul shall be healed” comes from.
So many of the gospel stories are like this one in Matthew. They tell us to be humble ourselves and to check our ego at the door. And, in many cases, Jesus is the one showing us how it’s done. For me, this story says that God is always present in our suffering. But, the healing happens when we allow ourselves to be in a position to receive. If we protect our ego by building a castle wall around ourselves, we are always in protection mode so our ego can stay intact. But, our castle wall also prevents us from receiving. The centurion allowed his castle wall to be broken open by showing his vulnerability. This allowed him to receive and to be “healed”.4
Don Schwager quotes “Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant faith and humility,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"When the Lord promised to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, the centurion answered, 'Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.' By viewing himself as unworthy, he showed himself worthy for Christ to come not merely into his house but also into his heart. He would not have said this with such great faith and humility if he had not already welcomed in his heart the One who came into his house. It would have been no great joy for the Lord Jesus to enter into his house and not to enter his heart. For the Master of humility both by word and example sat down also in the house of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon, and though he sat down in his house, there was no place in his heart. For in his heart the Son of Man could not lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). (excerpt from SERMON 62.1)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 8:5-17 comments that the centurion didn’t know just then that Jesus had come into the world not to condemn it but to save it (John 3:17). He didn’t know that Jesus had come to save everyone who approaches him in faith, regardless of their “worthiness,” their nationality, or their past sins.
But you know. Your occupation, your past sins, or your prejudices won’t drive Jesus away when humility and faith mingle in your heart. At every Mass you declare it, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” And Jesus answers by saying, “I will come.”6
Friar Jude Winkler explains the life and death nature of the hospitality demonstrated by Abraham. The laughter of Sarah is remembered in the name of her child Isaac. The request of the Centurion also saved Jesus from being ritually unclean. Friar Jude notes the contrast Jesus makes between the faith of the pagan and that of His people.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that while spiritual directors are trained in the act of generous and holy listening, it is a skill we can all develop. Interfaith minister and founder of The Listening Center, Kay Lindahl, offers these guidelines for reflective listening, which is a gift to both ourselves and those around us.
Most important, as you practice reflection, notice that what you want to say (the ego) matters less than what wants to be said (the soul). Reflective listening is a slowing down, waiting, practicing patience with yourself. Reflective listening is also about listening for the questions. We are constantly pulled away from our innermost self and encouraged to look for answers instead of listening for the questions. Rainer Maria Rilke’s [1875–1926] advice to the young poet was “Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” [1] The practice of listening for the questions—for what wants to be said next—deepens your relationship to your inner voice, your soul, and enhances full self-expression.7
The acts of hospitality, humility, and faith lay the groundwork for our experience of good fortune on our journey.
References
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