Lord, Increase My Faith

 

 Matthew 8:5-11

 The Faith of the Centurion

5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

At every Mass  before receiving Holy Communion, we pray the Centurion's humble prayer, "O Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But just say the word and my  soul will be healed." So great was the faith of this Roman, that it remains an example to us today. As we begin Advent, may we make this our prayer and pray it often during the day, not just at Mass. 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, let me learn from this unnamed centurion  what it means to have faith. Amen.