Faith and Obedience

Our reading today finds Jesus being accosted by a Roman centurion who asks Jesus to heal his servant. As part of the massive Roman army, this centurion knows what it is to be in authority and what it is to be under authority, and he believes that just as he can command his men, Jesus can command sickness and disease. Jesus is deeply impressed by this man’s faith and commends him for it. Then, just as the centurion knew He could, Jesus commands the sickness to leave the servant. The sickness obeys, and the servant is healed.

As I look at this story, I realize how much my perception of Jesus needs to be altered to fit that of the centurion. Of course, I believe God is all-powerful and in charge of everything, but I’ve grown so accustomed to this truth, that it's lost some of its meaning. I need to grasp the concept that if Jesus gives a command to an illness, it must obey. If He gives a command to the weather, it must obey. If He gives a command to me, I must obey.

This makes me think of St. Patrick, who we celebrated yesterday. When Patrick was told by God to go back to Ireland and share the Gospel, he didn’t want to go, but as God’s servant, he obeyed. His obedience changed countless lives as he brought the Irish to faith in Christ. Then I think about the commands God has given me that I all too often ignore—love one another, don’t worry, forgive as I have forgiven you. These aren’t just suggestions, they’re commands. And if Jesus has the right to command illness and even death itself, then He certainly has the right to command me. How I need the faith and the obedience of the centurion to follow God’s calling and obey Him because He has ultimate authority over everything in life.

Lenten reading for today: Matthew 8:5-13

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