GOSPEL

‘Many will come from east and west to the kingdom of heaven.’
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 8:5-11

At that time: When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralysed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my servant, “Do this”, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marvelled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord

My Faith in Your Faith

What did the Jews value in the centurion? That he had funded the synagogue. That’s why they considered him worthy of Jesus’ attention. But what did Jesus value? The centurion’s humility, to the point that He was astonished by it.

In marriage, we might say it’s not about expecting our spouse to do great things for us. Instead, we should value, as Jesus does, their faith in Christ and in our Sacrament of Marriage. Do I find my joy in your faith?

Applied to Married Life:

Louise: I don’t know what to do anymore. Your pride is so big that you don’t even realise it, making decisions on your own or imposing them without considering me.
Peter: I’m sorry. You’re right—I don’t realise when I impose things on you. It’s true that I struggle with pride; I’m aware of that. I regret it every time I act, relying on myself and my own strength. But I ask the Lord to do whatever He needs to do to purify my heart so I can love you better. Please be patient with me, because I’m certain He’s using these moments to chip away at my self-centredness.
Louise: Forgive me too. I’ve been relying more on my demands than on God’s power. I’ll go back to offering myself in these situations for your sanctification. My faith is in your faith.

Mother,

May we act always, not with mutual demands, but with trust in the Lord and the grace He pours out through our Sacrament. Praise be to Him forever.