January 29, 2025
Healing - Part 3
Matthew 8:5-9
01/29/2025
5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came
forward to him, appealing to him,
6 ``Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home,
suffering terribly.''
7 And he said to him, ``I will come and heal him.''
8 But the centurion replied, ``Lord, I am not worthy
to have you come under my roof, but only say the
word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I too 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
servant, `Do this, and he does it.' (ESV)
The second healing miracle in this week's Gospel lesson is
an example of faith, of knowing that we are saved by God's love
and not our own works, and humility in prayer.
When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to
him, appealing to him, ``Lord, my servant is lying
paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.'' And he said
to him, ``I will come and heal him.'' But the
centurion replied, ``Lord, I am not worthy to have you
come under my roof, but only say the word, and my
servant will be healed. For I too 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 servant, `Do this, and he does it.'
To begin, the centurion was not Jewish, but was part of the
Roman army. Yet he believed that Jesus could, by His voice only,
cure his paralyzed servant. This officer had great compassion
for his servant, which is the sign of a good leader. He also
knew that Jesus was more than a mere man, someone who is indeed
the Son of God.
Like the centurion, we are not worthy to ask Jesus to enter
our houses. After all, He is holy, we are by nature sinful and
unclean. But our Lord is willing to come to us, to heal us, to
give us life where there once was death. This is God's grace,
His undeserved love in action.
We pray, boldly trusting in God's love, that He will do that
which is best for us, that He will answer our prayers according
to His good and gracious will. Even if the answer is ``no'' or
``not yet,'' we know He holds us in His loving arms, and gives us
His rich and abundant blessings.
May our Lord open our hearts to Him that we may call upon
Him in prayer. Amen.