Worthiness

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." 

The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And 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."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:5-11)

Matthew makes it clear that followers of Jesus will come from the east and west.  Moreover, if a Roman centurion believes, then pagans also will shift their allegiances from their gods to Jesus and the Father.  

Matthew also suggests many pagans will become Jews who will follow Jesus; that is, they will “recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”  That was a major source of division during his Matthew’s time when many Jews began to follow Jesus while most saw no sense in calling him the Messiah.  The Messiah was yet to come.  Therefore, Jesus’ Jewish followers were no longer allowed to worship in Jewish temples of worship.  

We Catholics believe he has come to save us from our sins.  However, that belief is only part of what Jesus provides, and there is another interpretation.  We are “saved” by remembering what Jesus insisted: love of neighbor and forgiveness.  We save ourselves by loving and forgiving.  He is our touchstone constantly reminding us of our needed salvation we initiate with the guidance provided by Jesus, our Christ.  Are we worthy to have him enter under our roofs?

Deacon David Pierce