(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.
Chapters 7 and 8 for a unity. The evangelist has made a sandwich out of these two chapters. The bun consists of two sets of stories, each consisting of a healing and the saving from death, first of men, ten of women. The filling are the words and deeds between to top and bottom of the sandwich.
Luke likes to pair opposites. In the Bible, uniting opposites is a way of including all in between. Men and woman include all people; living and dead accounts for everything in between; Jewish and Gentile people; blind and lame; young and old. All are included when we united opposites together.
A centurion, Roman officer, a pagan sent a request to Jesus. He was respectful to the Jewish people; he had funded the building of their synagogue. He respected Jewish hesitancy about entering pagan houses and so sent his request by messenger. Jesus, however, decided to visit the centurion in person and applauded the faith of the centurion.
The centurion’s faith had two dimensions; he did not want to put Jesus to any trouble and yet was willing to welcome him into his home.
Catholic ritual calls us to the same faith as we prepare to receive communion. We claim unworthiness and we profess our willingness to welcome the Lord into our life, using the words of the centurion. The faith that inspired the centurion is the same faith and trust that should inspire us as we prepare for communion with the Lord and with his people.
The healing of the slave or servant is the healing we seek and that we will receive. It is the same healing that we must pass on to others. As these two chapters will show us, Christ’s healing work is for all people, for them of olden times and us of this time.