Who amongst us is worthy to have the Lord come under our roof? Even we who are baptised Christians would not be so quick to think ourselves worthy.
And so now try to visualise someone who has only heard about Jesus, yet sums up unimaginable faith to approach Him for the good or rather well being of his servant. This same someone who has men under him carrying out his commands at every turn! Even our Lord was astonished! Will He find the same faith in us when He comes to visit?
Today’s Gospel is clear reminder that Jesus is for everyone! He did not just come for baptized Christians. He has come to gather all nations together into the eternal peace of God’s kingdom.
Advent is therefore a perfect opportunity to have our hearts and minds renewed in Christ so that we will know God our Father’s will for us, His good, pleasing and perfect will.
O come divine messiah, come dwell in our hearts. Amen
Saint John Damascene pray for us…
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First reading
Isaiah 2:1-5 ·
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Zion, and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’
He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples;
these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war.
O House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
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Gospel
Matthew 8:5-11
‘I am not worthy to have you under my roof: give the word, and my servant will be healed’
When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’
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