Day 2 of Advent, 12/4/23: Just Say the Word (Matthew 8:8)

A Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his sick dying servant by saying, "But just say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Mt 8:8; Lk 7:7). He didn't think it necessary for Jesus to come and heal him in person by placing his hands on him, but to "just say the word," because he understood Jesus' authority as a centurion with authority over 100 Roman soldiers whom he knows will do whatever he says. He is the only person Jesus commended for having "such great faith" (Mt 8:10; Lk 7:9). [Watch Season 3 of The Chosen.] 

For the first 2 decades of my Christian life, my pastor gave me this verse as my key verse to help me to learn to live out my Christian faith practically. But I really didn't like the verse because I was trained to be a rational logical physician and scientist who makes decisions based on facts and reality, while faith seemed subjective, mushy, even unreasonable, unrealistic, irrational, or illogical. Thus, my faith in Christ was often weak, feeble, doubtful and sometimes even seems to be non-existent. Yet when I lived by faith by trusting God rather than myself (Prov 3:5) and by attempting to put God first (Mt 6:33), God has guided and led my life for the last 40+ years with countless blessings in every way. Though I am currently in a surreal unpleasant predicament, trusting God with faith that God is good (Rom 8:28; Gen 50:20), is virtually the only way forward for me.

Bishop Barron's Advent reflections: https://www.wordonfire.org/reflections/

This is Chat GPT's rewrite:

A Roman centurion once approached Jesus, beseeching him to heal his ailing servant. Expressing profound faith, the centurion conveyed that a mere spoken word from Jesus would suffice, emphasizing his understanding of Jesus' authoritative command. Unlike others, he didn't deem it necessary for Jesus to physically intervene by laying hands on the servant. This exceptional trust in Jesus' authority stemmed from the centurion's own leadership experience, where he commanded a hundred Roman soldiers, confident that they would heed his every word.

Jesus, recognizing this extraordinary faith, commended the centurion, citing it as an exemplary display of trust and belief. This episode, found in Matthew 8:8-10 and Luke 7:7-9, showcases the centurion's profound understanding of Jesus' power.

Reflecting on my early Christian journey, my pastor directed me to this passage as a guiding verse for practical Christian living. Initially resistant due to my scientific and rational background, I struggled to reconcile faith with my logical mindset. Faith appeared subjective and impractical, challenging my ingrained reliance on facts and reason. Consequently, my faith in Christ often wavered and felt feeble.

Over the subsequent four decades, however, as I embraced a faith-centered approach—trusting God rather than relying solely on my understanding—I witnessed God's guidance and blessings in my life. While facing my current surreal and challenging circumstances, my anchor remains trusting in God's goodness, echoing the sentiment of Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20. In navigating any perplexing situation, faith in God emerges as the sole, yet unwavering, path forward for me.