When I read today’s Gospel, I was struck by the centurion’s response. At first, he only tells Jesus about his servant’s paralysis. He doesn’t ask for healing. Jesus is the one who offers to help saying, “I will come and cure him”. The centurion responds by almost rejecting the offer, but ultimately leaves the decision to Jesus: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant shall be healed”.
The profound thing about this is that the centurion did not necessarily expect a healing. What was he expecting? At least some kind of help from Jesus, I’m sure. But he didn’t seem particularly attached to the way it happened. He wanted to speak to Jesus about his paralyzed servant, and He wanted Jesus to decide what to do with that information.
It wasn’t so much a passive-aggressive helplessness, wanting Jesus to figure out his problem so he didn’t have to. It was more of an open-ended request for help. The centurion wanted Jesus to help with the servant, but he didn’t presume to demand a particular course of action from the Lord.
As the centurion said, he knew what it was like to have authority and to be able to effect his will with only his word: “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.” Jesus in turn recognized the centurion’s faith that He could heal the servant with only His command and praised him for it stating, “in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” This faith is so powerful because it recognizes that God can not only heal but can heal in whatever way He wills to do so.
This kind of faith also understands that God is able to determine what will be best for His creation. The centurion might have wanted Jesus to come and lay his hands on his servant, but he knew to whom he was speaking. He knew that the decision was best left up to Jesus, and he was willing to present his problem in that light. He was even willing to face the possibility that Jesus might have chosen to leave his servant paralyzed.
This deep faith is an example to us. It is good for us to ask the Lord for help, and it is better to present the Lord with our troubles and needs without attachment to a particular solution. We have our own ideas, and those are not necessarily bad, but the Lord’s are best, and He often acts in ways that we do not understand. As the centurion understood, the details are best left to God.
Al leer el Evangelio de hoy, me impactó la respuesta del centurión. Al principio, solo le cuenta a Jesús sobre la parálisis de su siervo. No le pide sanación. Es Jesús quien se ofrece a ayudarlo diciendo: “Voy a curarlo”. El centurión responde casi rechazando la oferta, pero finalmente deja la decisión en manos de Jesús: “Señor, yo no soy digno de que entres en mi casa; con que digas una sola palabra, mi criado quedará sano”.
Lo profundo de esto es que el centurión no necesariamente esperaba una sanación. ¿Qué esperaba? Al menos algún tipo de ayuda de Jesús, estoy seguro. Pero no parecía estar particularmente interesado en cómo sucedió. Quería hablar con Jesús sobre su siervo paralítico y quería que Jesús decidiera qué hacer con esa información.
No era una impotencia pasivo-agresiva, queriendo que Jesús resolviera su problema para no tener que hacerlo él. Era más bien una petición de ayuda abierta. El centurión quería que Jesús ayudara con el sirviente, pero no se le exigió al Señor una acción específica.
Como dijo el centurión, sabía lo que era tener autoridad y poder hacer su voluntad con solo su palabra: “cuando le digo a uno: ‘¡Ve!’, él va; al otro: ‘¡Ven!’, y viene; a mi criado: ‘¡Haz esto!’, y lo hace”. Jesús, a su vez, reconoció la fe del centurión de que podía sanar al sirviente con solo su orden y lo elogió por ello, diciendo: “en ningún israelita he hallado una fe tan grande”. Esta fe es tan poderosa porque reconoce que Dios no solo puede sanar, sino que puede sanar de cualquier manera que Él desee.
Esta clase de fe también comprende que Dios puede determinar lo que es mejor para su creación. El centurión quizá hubiera querido que Jesús viniera y pusiera las manos sobre su sirviente, pero reconoce con quién hablaba. Sabía que era mejor dejar la decisión en manos de Jesús y estaba dispuesto a presentar su problema desde esa perspectiva. Incluso estaba dispuesto a afrontar la posibilidad de que Jesús hubiera decidido dejar a su siervo paralizado.
Esta profunda fe es un ejemplo para nosotros. Es bueno pedirle ayuda al Señor, y es mejor presentarle nuestros problemas y necesidades sin aferrarnos a una solución específica. Tenemos nuestras propias ideas, y no son necesariamente malas, pero las del Señor son las mejores, y a menudo Él actúa de maneras que no entendemos. Como comprendió el centurión, es mejor dejar los detalles en manos de Dios.
David Dashiell is a freelance author and editor in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He has three children, a degree in theology, and enjoys writing about philosophy, theology, culture, music, and comedy. You can find his personal blog, Serious Daydreams, on Substack. He is also the editor of the anthology Ever Ancient, Ever New: Why Younger Generations Are Embracing Traditional Catholicism, available through TAN Books.
Feature Image Credit: Jack Sharp, unsplash.com/photos/man-praying-OptEsFuZwoQ
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
Elizabeth Tomlin is the author of Joyful Momentum: Building and Sustaining Vibrant Women’s Groups and contributing author to the Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers. She is General Counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Elizabeth is an Army wife and mother of three and currently lives in Oklahoma. You can find her at @elizabethannetomlin on social media and she blogs at 
Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.
Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 55 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty-one grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002. He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.
Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on 
Merridith Frediani loves words and is delighted by good sentences. She also loves Lake Michigan, dahlias, the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, millennials, and playing Sheepshead with her husband and three kids. She writes for Catholic Mom, Diocesan.com, and her local Catholic Herald. Her first book Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Adoration is available at Our Sunday Visitor and Amazon. You can learn more at 
Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mother. She is blessed to be able to homeschool, bake bread and fold endless piles of laundry. When not planning a school day, writing a blog post or cooking pasta, Kate can be found curled up with a book or working with some kind of fiber craft. Kate blogs at 
Hailing from Nashville, Catherine is a graduate of Christendom College with a lifelong passion for words. Her love of writing and her Catholic Faith continue to shape her as a freelance editor, copywriter, and (aspiring) novelist, where she pursues her passions for the love and greater glory of God.
Mike Karpus is a regular guy. He grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, graduated from Michigan State University and works as an editor. He is married to a Catholic school principal, raised two daughters who became Catholic school teachers at points in their careers, and now relishes his two grandchildren, including the older one who is fascinated with learning about his faith. He also has served on a Catholic school board, a pastoral council and a parish stewardship committee. He currently is a lector at Mass, a Knight of Columbus, Adult Faith Formation Committee member and a board member of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. But mostly he’s a regular guy.
1-800-994-9817