When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
Again today we have not one but two stories about asking God for help.
The story of the centurion is fascinating because the man's ability to ask is so severely limited. He seems to have the spirit and desire but he cannot bring himself to use the words. It might be called a spiritual disability.
When he comes to Jesus, you'll notice he explains the situation to Jesus but he does not say what he wants. The Lord has to figure it out after hearing that a man is "paralyzed and suffering dreadfully."
Perhaps the centurion himself is "paralyzed and suffering dreadfully" though his issue is quite different from that of his servant.
And then when Jesus immediately responds, "I will come and cure him!" the centurion seems to panic. His reaction is immediate and insistent, "You cannot come to my home!"
A Veteran friend of mine explained it to me. The centurion is a combat Veteran; he has killed people in face-to-face, hand-to-hand combat. He has cleaned their blood off his sword, spear, shield, and face even as he prepared for another round of slaughter. The phalanx of soldiers under his command is an efficient killing machine. Some of the dead were defenseless; none were prepared to die. The centurion must live with the memory of their shocked faces and agonized bodies. They haunt his sleeping and his waking. They occupy his house. He cannot have a Man of God enter that cursed space.
And so he comes to Jesus and proposes as far as he is able. He can only describe the situation with its obvious inferences. He can tell a story and hope the Nazarene understands.
This Gospel tells us much about Jesus and the Father who has sent him to us. God wants to heal us. The Spirit urges us to ask. If you can't ask, at least show up! Be there. Be desperate. Be hungry for mercy and thirsty for compassion.
Saint Paul taught his disciples about prayer,
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.