“And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, ‘Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.’ And Jesus saith to him: ‘I will come and heal him.’ And the centurion making answer, said: ‘Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, ‘Go,’ and he goeth, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he cometh, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he doeth it.’”
Jesus then proceeds to Capernaum, which is translated as “The field of consolation” or “The town of fatness,” for where Jesus walks, hearts blossom like flowers, “My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies” (Song 6:1) and the soul is filled with love and its fruits, thus the prophet says, “I brought you into the land of Carmel,” which indicates a fruitful and plentiful land, “to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof” (Jeremias 2:7). A merciful centurion then comes to Jesus, seeking not his own good but that of another, for love goes out of itself to seek the good of the beloved. This centurion had not heard Christ teaching nor seen the leper being healed, but only by faith in the words of others does he go to Jesus; in this he represents all the Gentiles, who had not the Law or the Prophets or seen Christ in person, yet they believed. So too is it wondrous to see simple people, unlearned in many things but wondrous in their love of God, not needing great learning or favors but cling to Him in humble faith and love: “I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones. Yea, Father, for so hath it seemed good in thy sight” (Matthew 11:25-26). The centurion then presents the petition before Jesus, not trying to control what He does next, and in this is shown a beautiful attitude before the Father, for a child that is docile and trusting in their parents’ love and wisdom knows they can bring something before them and trust in their superior ways of knowing to handle the matter: “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence. I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law” (Proverbs 4:1). The centurion also mentions that the servant is “grievously afflicted,” which shows great compassion, for a heart that loves knows the sufferings of their neighbor and feels them out of tenderness. When Jesus says that He will go to the house, the centurion declares his unworthiness to have Jesus under his roof, aware that he is a Gentile: “You know how abominable it is for a man that is a Jew, to keep company or to come unto one of another nation” (Acts 10:28), and instead invites the Lord into his heart by an act of faith and trust. Ah, and how appropriately is this little line said in the Mass, when you are to receive the Lord, for you both recognize your unworthiness before an infinitely good God, but also that the King of Kings wants to dwell in your heart in love: “I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times; playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men” (Proverbs 8:30-31). He then declares his faith that if Jesus simply say the word, the servant shall be healed, and in the Mass you say, “my soul shall be healed,” and this word is “I love you.” Picture the Lord before you, saying these simple words, and feel anxiety, burden, doubt, whatever aches your soul wash away under an ocean of merciful love: “Pharoa’s chariots and his army he hath cast into the sea: his chosen captains are drowned in the Red Sea” (Exodus 15:4). Say the words back to Him and hear them once more; this is excellent prayer. The centurion then, through the winds of the Holy Spirit, unveils the mystery of the divine sonship of Jesus, for the Son is under authority of the Father: “Amen, amen, I say unto you, the Son cannot do any thing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doth, these the Son also doth in like manner” (John 5:19), and in turn orders all things under Him, “And he hath subjected all things under his feet” (Ephesians 1:22). Now the Father is merciful love, with Jesus being the perfect expression of this love, and in turn all things are made, ordered, and done by the Word with an abundance of merciful love: “All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made” (John 1:3), and so the centurion understands that just as men follow his commands, so does the entirety of reality follow the dictates of the Word: “And God said: Be light made. And light was made” (Genesis 1:3). Jesus, by saying, “Go,” to sickness, “Come,” to health, and the servant to then “Do this” with his newfound health would be heard. Now, you have the Spirit of the Lord in your heart, and by prayer you can say to destructive or sad thoughts, “Go:” “Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end” (Ecclesiasticus 38:21); “Be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2), to loving inclinations and thoughts, “Come:” “Fill Sion with thy unspeakable words, and thy people with thy glory” (Ecclesiasticus 36:16); “If any of you want wisdom,” the wisdom to love well, “let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5), and to your very will, “Do this,” which is to do the greatest act of love at every moment, it shall be done: “For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:13-14). Prayer is necessary for the Holy Spirit, for you can only give what you receive, “And I say to you: Ask, and it shall be given you” (Luke 11:9); “Thou shalt send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 103:30). This little passage then takes an excellent form to aid you when you are buffeted with temptation, for the centurion can represent your will, seeing you hounded with desires and thoughts that are contrary to love and thereby grievously afflicted, running to Jesus and presenting the matter to Him, trusting Him to say the words you need to hear to move through the storm, which may be as simple as “I love you.”