Reflection for June 27 Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 8:5-17

Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 

For I too am a man 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.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 

I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven, but the children of the Kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” 

And at that very hour his servant was healed. Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. 

When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: 

He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

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Reflection:

What does the Roman centurion have that we oftentimes do not?

He has profound faith and genuine humility. The Roman centurion is a living example of unwavering faith. He believed with all his heart that Jesus had the power and authority to grant his request. Without hesitation or doubt, he trusted completely in the Lord's word. Because of his deep faith, Jesus healed his servant.

The centurion also demonstrated remarkable humility. Although he was a ranking officer with authority over many soldiers, he did not rely on his position, influence, or power. Instead, he personally came before Jesus and earnestly pleaded for his servant's healing.

He could have sent an emissary to speak on his behalf, but he chose to humble himself before the Lord. His greatness was found not in his rank but in his willingness to bow before the One who is truly great.

Perhaps this is what we, too, often lack. There are times when our faith wavers, and we allow fear, doubt, or discouragement to overshadow our trust in God. There are also moments when pride keeps us from surrendering completely to the Lord. Yet the Roman centurion reminds us that God's grace is received by hearts that trust Him completely and humbly submit to His will.

When we come before Jesus with unwavering faith and sincere humility, we open our hearts to His transforming power. He hears our prayers, knows our deepest needs, and, in His perfect wisdom and love, answers them according to His holy will and for our greatest good. Our responsibility is not to dictate God's answers but to trust His heart, His timing, and His unfailing love.

Today, may we ask the Lord to strengthen our faith and deepen our humility. May we learn to rely less on ourselves and more on His limitless power and mercy. As we entrust every burden, every hope, and every prayer to Him, may we discover the peace that comes from knowing that our lives are safely held in His loving hands.

Will we, like the Roman centurion, choose to humble ourselves before Jesus and trust Him completely, believing that His will is always greater than our own?–Marino J. Dasmarinas