Monday of the First Week of Advent, December 1, 2025

Gospel

Matthew 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,

a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,

"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."

He said to him, "I will come and cure him."

The centurion said in reply,

"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;

only say the word and my servant will be healed.

For I too am a man subject to authority,

with soldiers subject to me.

And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;

and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;

and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,

"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.

I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,

and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."

Reflection

As Advent begins, a season of cleansing and preparation for the coming of Jesus, today's Gospel gives us a powerful image of what true readiness looks like. What is most surprising is that this example comes not from a scholar, or a religious leader, or even one of Jesus’ own disciples, but a Roman centurion, a man of significant rank, authority, and worldly power in that time.

When the centurion approaches Jesus, his request is simple and sincere, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” His concern is not for himself, but for someone under his care. And when Jesus offers to come to his house, the centurion responds with these words “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed". This caught my attention as they are the same words we say in Mass before receiving communion.

However, these words were quite shocking in Jesus’ time. A centurion was accustomed to commanding others, as one in a position of power. Yet he stands before Jesus in humility, acknowledging his unworthiness, recognizing his limitations, and declaring his belief in the authority of Jesus's word.

As Advent invites us to prepare room for Jesus, these words become a mirror for our own readiness. When we speak them before receiving the Eucharist, do we say them with the same humility and sincerity as the centurion? Do we truly acknowledge our need for Jesus’ mercy and healing? Or have these words become habitual and routine, spoken without thought or meaning behind them? This Advent, as we prepare our hearts for Jesus’s coming, let us look inward with honesty and humility. Let us approach Jesus not out of mindless habit, but with renewed reverence and trust, like the centurion.