Epiphany 9 / Ordinary Time 9 / Proper 4
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
... the centurion sent friends to say to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof ... But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed."
-- Luke 7:6
There are several aspects to this event that draw our attention. First of all, it is quite clear that the centurion was not a member of the Jewish faith. He had shown respect for the Jewish people, but there was no evidence that he had sought to become a convert. The elders who came to Jesus on his behalf said, "He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us." Second, the centurion was not seeking a favor from Jesus for himself but for a slave "whom he values highly." Even if we understand that slavery had a different connotation in Palestine than it does in America because of our unique history, the slave was still considered to be of lesser value than the free members of the family. Third, the centurion was not acting on behalf of any personal experience with Jesus but simply on what he had heard about him from others.
It is also noteworthy that the centurion felt no need of any personal encounter or relationship with Jesus himself. He made no suggestion that if Jesus would respond to his request that the centurion would become a follower of Jesus. This was a one-time request with no promise of any further response. Finally, he declared an absolute conviction about the authority of Jesus to command that which was causing his slave to be ill. For Jesus' part, there was no request of any further response from the centurion. Nor did Jesus feel any need to meet or have a relationship with him.
As the body of Christ, or even as an individual Christian, what is the implication of your responding to a person's need who neither believes as you do or shows any interest in doing so? Is there a significant gospel message being proclaimed when the church responds to human need without asking anything in return? Are there times when those who come to us astonish us by their belief in our capacity to help them? Does the response of Jesus to this stranger he never met reveal an aspect of the extravagant grace of God that overflows into the world? In what way is the church called upon to enact a similar grace?
-- Luke 7:6
There are several aspects to this event that draw our attention. First of all, it is quite clear that the centurion was not a member of the Jewish faith. He had shown respect for the Jewish people, but there was no evidence that he had sought to become a convert. The elders who came to Jesus on his behalf said, "He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us." Second, the centurion was not seeking a favor from Jesus for himself but for a slave "whom he values highly." Even if we understand that slavery had a different connotation in Palestine than it does in America because of our unique history, the slave was still considered to be of lesser value than the free members of the family. Third, the centurion was not acting on behalf of any personal experience with Jesus but simply on what he had heard about him from others.
It is also noteworthy that the centurion felt no need of any personal encounter or relationship with Jesus himself. He made no suggestion that if Jesus would respond to his request that the centurion would become a follower of Jesus. This was a one-time request with no promise of any further response. Finally, he declared an absolute conviction about the authority of Jesus to command that which was causing his slave to be ill. For Jesus' part, there was no request of any further response from the centurion. Nor did Jesus feel any need to meet or have a relationship with him.
As the body of Christ, or even as an individual Christian, what is the implication of your responding to a person's need who neither believes as you do or shows any interest in doing so? Is there a significant gospel message being proclaimed when the church responds to human need without asking anything in return? Are there times when those who come to us astonish us by their belief in our capacity to help them? Does the response of Jesus to this stranger he never met reveal an aspect of the extravagant grace of God that overflows into the world? In what way is the church called upon to enact a similar grace?
