The Example of the Centurion
By Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos
4TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW (Matthew 8:5-13)
By Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos
4TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW (Matthew 8:5-13)
“When Jesus heard it, He marveled…” (Matthew 8:10)
1. Today's Gospel presents us with the rough portrait of a soldier who is drawn to the charm of our Christ. When one sees so many qualities in a person's soul, it is understandable to feel a certain surprise. Life and history have accustomed us to perceive a soldier somewhat differently, as a hard and violent individual. Not infrequently, the abuses of certain individuals lead to a disgust towards the military class and, in general, towards anyone in uniform, as they are believed to be associated with violence and imposition.
The centurion has a specific reason for coming to Christ. He rushes to meet Him, to plead for his servant, who suffered from paralysis. Just this act elevates this man significantly in our consciousness, considering the status of slaves, especially during that time. Slaves were only human in form; socially, they were not different from animals. They performed all the heavy labor – similar to what foreign workers do today or what illegal immigrants endure – and they lived at the mercy of their masters, who treated them as they wished. For such a socially degraded being, the centurion comes to plead. What weighs even more heavily on his action is that he sees his servant not as his property, but as a member of his family. For it is certain that he would not have shown greater concern for one of his children.
2. The centurion feels the weight of his responsibility as the head of his family, of his household. This is not insignificant. The illness of the servant is a problem not only for him but primarily for his master. More than the servant, the master is concerned about finding a solution to the family crisis. When one member suffers, all members share in that suffering. This is how the Roman military man thinks. Half-measures do not save. Definitive and radical solutions are needed. And such a solution can only be provided by Christ. This is what the centurion believed, who serves as a challenge for the Christian family man above all. How many of us, like him, are aware of our responsibilities within our families? How many of us monitor the health, especially the mental well-being, of our children and are concerned for their healing? And if we care, where do we seek the healing of our children, to which doctor and by what means? Are there perhaps few parents who send their children to church every Sunday and feast - even under duress... while they themselves rarely attend? And they believe they have fulfilled their duty!
Let us consider the example of the centurion. First he goes to Christ. First he believes in Christ. And because he was sanctified by Christ, his servant was saved as well. If the parents do not accept Christ, it is doubtful if their children will follow the path of Christ. This is why infant baptism finds justification in our Church. For when it was established, it was set as a prerequisite that the parents and the godparent take on the catechesis of the young Christian. However, in how many families do we not stop at baptism, concerning the Christian upbringing of our children? And then we wonder about the path they take. How rightly, then, how Christianly the Roman soldier thought!
3. And yet, there is something equally significant that we discern in the spiritual portrait of the centurion. Many interpreters speak of his humility, which we all undoubtedly acknowledge. But what is the underlying foundation of his humility? What did it rest upon, how did it emerge? The centurion's humility is a consequence of the fact that he first recognized his distance from Christ. He acknowledged Christ as superior to him, as stronger than him, as perfect and morally unattainable. This is evident from the dialogue with Him. "I will come and heal him," Christ tells him, in order to reward his love. And the centurion responds: "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof." This phrase has taken on the same position in our ecclesiastical language as the publican’s "God make atonement for me the sinner." For this reason, one finds oneself in a state of repentance, as for example in the Service of Holy Communion. The centurion thus steps onto the first rung of genuine repentance, which is the awareness of our unworthiness and sinfulness, and the acknowledgment of the inaccessible height of divine virtue, of the beauty of the Master. This contrast is eloquently presented in the well-known hymn of Holy Week: "I see Your wedding chamber, O my Savior, adorned, and I have no wedding garment in which to enter therein..." Whoever has eyes to see the light, understands their own darkness. Only the spiritually blind or the person of darkness cannot discern their moral impurity.
4. The course that events have taken is now considered normal. This is expressed by our Christ with His words: "Go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." The centurion received nothing more than the measure of his faith. In simpler terms, his faith, his trust in Christ, was spiritually weighed and received its equilibrium in grace. Therefore, let us not complain if our prayers are not always heard. It is better to first examine the strength of our faith. A strength that is evident even in its simplicity, as demonstrated by the sincerity of the centurion's confession. There are many, for instance, who wonder whether God desires anyone to go on a pilgrimage in order to receive His grace. But why do we not consider the fact that this reflects the simplicity of our hearts and the fervor of our faith?
My brethren! The Gospels mention only two instances in which Christ "marveled" at something. The first time was due to the unbelief of His fellow Nazarenes, which prevented Him from performing any miracles (Mark 6:6). The second time He marveled at the faith of the centurion, here. Both of these cases are clearly critical, touching the boundaries of faith and unbelief. Furthermore, both instances are very instructive for us today. They outline the framework necessary for us to assess our own faith as a response to the divine invitation, recognizing the redemptive and authoritative power of Christ in our lives.
Source: From the book ΦΩΣ ΕΚ ΦΩΤΟΣ. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
