August 17th - Reflection

Matthew 8:1-13 (NRSV)

Jesus heals many people

When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also 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 slave, 'Do this,' and the slave does it." When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you according to your faith." And the servant was healed in that hour.

Reflection
Jesus wasn't opposed to the law. When the leper was made clean, by law it was necessary for the leper to go to the priest and be declared clean after examination and an offering be given. So Jesus command for the leper not to say anything and go do what was next falls in line with the law.

When the centurion approached Jesus on behalf of his servant, Jesus was impressed with the man's faith. To have the faith that Jesus Word was good for the healing was enough for the centurion. The centurion was a Gentile after all and he possessed more faith than many Israelites had in Jesus.

As we approach Jesus in prayer, we must take him at his Word and as the Word. Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word or Logos that existed from the beginning and will always exist. God is good for his Word. We can always believe that and rest assured in that Word.

Being human, doubt creeps into our words when we pray. And that's the opening for that slimy snake to take control. Even when this does occur, we can come back to passages such as these and see the faith of the centurion and the love of the Word from Jesus. Thanks be to God!

Prayer

Lord, I come to you for the sick, the poor, and those in need, that you may help and aid them in this world. Grow all of our faith in you that we may praise you name in all the assembly, not because of the healing or the help, but because you are our God. Increase our faith ...today ...tomorrow ...and forever. --- Amen