“When Jesus heard this he was amazed
at the centurion, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, “I tell
you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
This morning’s gospel comes
immediately after the conclusion of Luke’s account of the sermon on the plain.
That ended with the memorable words, “Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord” and not
do what I say?” and Jesus’ contrast between the person who built their house on
rock versus the person who built on sand. It is significant that Luke follows
this up by the healing of the centurion’s slave, for, given Jewish culture and
beliefs at the time, the last model of faith one would expect to be given would
be that of a Gentile. Yet here we are.
This
story foreshadows a more universal gospel message that would spread like
wildfire during the early centuries of the Church: yes, even Gentiles shall be
included in the Kingdom of God. And not only that: it is the example of a
Gentile centurion that Jesus chooses to use as a teaching moment. The centurion
most likely belonged to the militia of Herod Antipas, a formidable figure
commanding a unit of 100 soldiers. He had the backing of Rome with no
obligation to look on the Jewish people with respect. Yet he does. Luke tells
us that he loves their nation, had built their local synagogue and now was
showing love for his neighbor, a lowly slave whom he nevertheless valued highly
and who was at death’s door.
It is noteworthy how he handles this
situation. By initially sending a group of Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal the
slave, and then subsequently a group of his friends to intercept him along the
way to deliver a further message, he shows a sensitivity to Jewish custom. It
is more than false humility. He knows that were Jesus to enter the house of a
Gentile he would risk ritual pollution. So tactfully he has the friends say to
Jesus the memorable words, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you... only say
the word and my servant will be healed.” He gets the bigger picture. Being a
commander who understands authority himself on a human level, he knows that if
Jesus’ authority comes from God, (which he believes it does), all that is
required is the power of his word. He can heal the servant from where he
stands. It is this level of faith, of trust in who he believes Jesus to be,
that Jesus finds so amazing and which he then turns to the following crowd and
commends to them. “Not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
This presents us with a challenge, as
well: while we live 20 centuries apart from Jesus in his earthly existence and
so were not witness to his mighty works, where his word is present the power
that was revealed through him then expresses itself through the Spirit now –
the power of the Risen Lord – in many and diverse ways, including places where
we least expect it to be manifest. Who might be today’s centurion? A Muslim, a
Buddhist,... a Jew? I wonder. Is our faith up to that?
