Advent Reflections
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022
By Soleil Skehan ’23
For Catholics, the sentiment expressed by the centurion in today’s gospel is a familiar one: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; only say the word, and my [soul] shall be healed.” It is one we express every time we celebrate Mass in preparation for receiving the Eucharist. We humble ourselves in recognition of being unworthy of Jesus’ most precious gift, and we ask Him to enter in, despite our unworthiness, so that we might be healed. Really, this sentiment is one we can often engage with, if we so choose. Recently, I have found myself being reminded of Jesus’ presence in my friendships; the joy I receive from pouring into them and the consolation I receive when being poured back into is a very concrete example of Jesus revealing Himself to me. I think something worth noting from the passage, though, is that Jesus unhesitatingly agrees to heal the centurion’s servant upon his request. When he approaches Jesus, Jesus already knows who the man is—He’s Jesus, after all. He knows how unworthy the centurion feels but he also knows the true disposition of his heart; he has “a faith like no one’s in Israel,” and Jesus is moved to respond by healing his servant.
I think this gospel passage holds two great reminders to encourage us this Advent season: one, Jesus LOVES when we trust in Who He is and have faith in His Word. He wants to heal us—despite our unworthiness—because it allows us to draw closer to Him. And two, Jesus wants us to ask. He wants our faith to be bold and trusting, because He already knows what we need. But he cares so deeply for us that He wants nothing to be forced, and He does not impose His will if we do not choose it for ourselves. And so He gives us the opportunity to act upon this desire—to ask boldly—every time we celebrate the Mass, every time we ask Him to say the word and heal our souls. Friends, as we joyfully anticipate Jesus’ coming, let’s work towards developing a faith Jesus eagerly and lovingly responds to.