24th Week in Ordinary Time
18th September 2023 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Beloved: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling.
Psalm 28:2, 7, 8-9 (R. 6)
R/. Blest be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my appeal.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 7:1-10
At that time: After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set 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 servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Humble faith wins God’s heart!
Guidlines: True faith includes humility and deep trust as its essential prerequisites. Such faith will never go unrewarded{alertSuccess}
1. In the gospel, Jesus presents a pagan centurion as a great model of faith. He praises him with an unparalleled compliment, “Not even in Israel have I found such faith”. Thereby Jesus makes it clear that true faith is not merely adhering to a faithful fold, but more adhering to the hold of faith.
2. Faith is not a mere theoretical matter of holding on to certain traditions or faith matters, but a personal matter of holding on to Jesus. What matters most is adherence to Jesus in deep trust and humility.
3. The first reading from 1 Timothy 2. 1-8 asserts, “God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth”. And Jesus becomes the realization of this divine will. Therefore, the centurion approaching Jesus is symbolic of all without exclusion approaching the source of salvation. He is the one mediator between God and man. In the healing of the context, Jesus concretely mediates God’s grace.
4. The centurion on his part responds to this grace. He makes a fitting response through his deep trust as he tells Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble yourself… But say the word and let my servant be healed”. He is totally convinced that Jesus has the power to heal his sick servant even in such a desperate situation as near to death, and even by the mere power of his word over distance.
5. His humility is commendable because he readily recognizes that Jesus’ authority transcends his own. He entertains no false dignity because he conscientiously lowers himself before Jesus. His humility is not out of low self-esteem and not out of self-deprecation.
6. He is quite aware of his own authority and the dignity of his position. But in humility, he realizes and admits that his power and authority are nothing compared to the immensity of Jesus’ power, holiness, and worth.
7. Further, this greatness of his faith is still furthered by his benevolence toward all without any discrimination, be it toward his servant irrespective of status, toward Jews irrespective of religion or toward the Jews irrespective of the nation. When humility, trust, and benevolence go together, there is no wonder that miracles do happen.
Practice: Those who trust in God may go through times of test, but God will never fail them. While humility leads one to trust, benevolence flows out from the trust{alertSuccess}