FIRST READING
1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33
Brothers and sisters:
In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact that your meetings are doing more harm than good. First of all, I hear that when you meet as a Church there are divisions among you, and to a degree I believe it; there have to be factions among you in order that also those who are approved among you may become known. When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the Church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not praise you.
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my Blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
R. (1 Cor 11:26b) Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin‑offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
May all who seek you exult and be glad in you And may those who love your salvation say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
ALLELUIA
John 3:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person 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 at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Reflections:
Do you seek God with confidence and pray with expectant
faith? A Roman official boldly sought Jesus with a daring request. What
made him confident that Jesus would receive his request and act favorably
towards him? Like a true soldier, he knew the power of command. And he
saw in Jesus both the power and the mercy of God to heal and restore life.
In the Roman world the position of centurion was very important. He was
an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain sense, he was
the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together.
Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be: "They
must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command,
steady in action, and reliable; they ought not to be over-anxious to rush
into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their
ground, and die at their posts."
The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled
as well. He risked the ridicule of his Roman companions by seeking help
from a Jewish preacher from Galilee, as well as mockery from the Jews who
despised Roman occupation of their land. Nonetheless, this centurion approached
Jesus with confidence and humility. Augustine notes that the centurion
regarded himself as unworthy to receive the Lord into his house: "Humility
was the door through which the Lord entered to take full possession of
one whom he already possessed." The centurion was an extraordinary man
because he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were treated like
animals rather than people. The centurion was also an extraordinary man
of faith. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal his beloved
slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his
request. Are you willing to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith?
And when you need help, do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith?
"Heavenly Father, you sent us your Son Jesus Christ that we might be
freed from the tyranny of sin and death. Increase my faith in the power
of your saving word and give me freedom to love and serve others with generosity
and mercy as you have loved me."
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