Only Say The Word

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Today’s Gospel: Matthew 8, 5-11
In today’s Gospel reading, a Roman centurion comes to Jesus to beg the Lord to heal his sick servant. However, when Jesus responds that he will come and cure his servant, the centurion responds, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Every day at the height of the every Mass, just before Communion, throughout the entire world, Catholics call to mind the words of this Gentile, a Roman soldier hated by the Jews:
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
We are asking the Lord to heal not our servant, but our inmost being. Catholics repeat the words of this soldier from 2,000 years ago words to prepare us for an incredibly intimate Divine encounter.        continue reading

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