Reflection for Monday, 

By 

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

1st Week of Advent 

Today's WORD of GOD 

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.’ 

Today's Reflection 

The Power of Hope

In the Weekdays of Advent We Pray for a Future of Universal Peace. 

Isaiah Predicts that Under the Guidance of the Messiah, All Nations & Races will Live in Harmony & Join in Worshiping the True & Only GOD. 

This Future will Draw Us Beyond All Narrow Racial or National Boundaries so that All of Humanity becomes One Family of Faith & Love. Are We Willing to Open Our Doors & Welcome All These People, so Different from Ourselves?

In the Gospel, JESUS is Invited to the Home of a Roman Centurion – a Soldier whose Job is to Represent a Foreign, Oppressive Power – & HE Accepts the Invitation! When the Roman Officer Hesitates, Feeling Unworthy of JESUS' Presence in His Home, He is Praised for His Genuine Humility. It is Worth Noticing that the Centurion Cares for the Welfare of His Slave, who would have been from some Defeated Nation. The Disciples must have been Amazed to See that Roman Officer Bowing before JESUS, for the Sake of His Slave!

JESUS Praises This Foreigner as an Authentic, Genuine Man, a Spiritual Descendant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. HE Advises Us to Look in Unlikely Places & People to Learn to be HIS True Followers Today. HE Tells Us too, “I Have Never Found This Much Faith” in Your Midst. 

The Centurion’s Modest but Hope-Filled Request is Very Familiar to Us. Before Receiving the Holy Eucharist We Repeat It almost Word for Word. He Recognises His Unworthiness to Have the LORD Come to Him, yet has Total Trust in the Power of CHRIST'S WORD.

The Centurion’s Hopeful Faith is an Inspiring Example for Us All to Follow. We too Recognise Our Need of Healing, & We also Long for the Life-Giving Touch of the LORD in Our Lives. We also Share His Great Trust that JESUS can Help Us, Convinced that HIS WORD can Heal & Renew, Recreate & Refashion Us. 

Out of Our Poverty We Pray with Trust, “Come LORD JESUS."

Good Morning 

Have a wonderful day and a splendid week ahead.