The gospel of the previous Sunday, which is the first so to say “non-festive” Sunday, marking the beginning of the “spiritual week-days” (or “working days”), this gospel reading defines the first step of this Christian way, not surprisingly, as the renunciation of the excessive care of all things worldly. Very much like the “Ladder [of spiritual ascent]” of St. John of the Ladder!

So that, because of worrying too much, not to lose the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

“For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

But one of the greatest worries in this world, the people of this world – is about the self of people, self-esteem, self-realization…  Even sometimes greater than the worries about riches…

Today we hear about the miraculous healing of the centurion’s servant in Capernaum (Matthew 8: 5-13). And we were marveled at the high praise that the faith of the Roman commander was awarded from our Lord Jesus Christ:

“When Jesus entered Capernaum, the centurion approached Him and asked Him:

saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

…Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.””

What is this way of the centurion, to go with him?

At the beginning of their reflections on this Gospel, many teachers and preachers point out to the centurion’s mercy, as he intercedes not about his child or relative, but about the servant, his slave.

(As we see, the mercy and grace of the Lord is often attracted by the mercy and grace of man.)

And the Lord spoke simple words: «I will visit you and heal him.»

It would seem, to host Christ Himself at home — what a great honor! But the man was reasoning in this heart if it was a too much honor for him? Like the apostle Peter once: depart from me, Lord, I am a sinful man.

And by his humility how he magnified Christ!

What a wonderful confession of the Lord’s almightiness was born out of that human meekness: “Say only a word!”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

The centurion, however, was reasoning quite wisely: if I often do not go out of my place to do anything, I only order my servants and they do, although I am also a man under the rule of an even more powerful lord, then, is not this Divine Teacher and the Lord more than me: «Say only a word.»

Filled with sorrow, however, was the Savior’s surprise, sorrow about those who should first of all learn this highest theology and confess the Word of God that came into the world…

“And his servant recovered at that hour,” the Evangelist testifies.

“The power of God in the weakness of man is accomplished,” says the Apostle Paul.

“Retribution happens … not to the virtue or the labor for it, but to the humility that is born out of them. If the latter is lost, the first ones will be in vain” says St. Isaac the Syrian.

How can we also gain the humility of the Capernaum centurion?

“Painstaking fulfillment of Christ’s commandments teaches man about his weakness” (4:9), concludes the seal of theologians, the Monk Simeon the New Theologian.

The “healthy” (cf. Mt 9:12) have no need of Christ.

The “healthy” crucify Christ.

«I do not see my sin because I still labor for sin” — Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov is adding.

And here is what St. Gregory of Nazianzus says of the centurion’s faith: «. . . be like the Centurion who would seek for healing, but would not, through a praiseworthy fear, receive the Healer into his house. Let each one of us also speak so, as long as he is still uncleansed, and is a Centurion still, …serving in the army of Caesar, the false and cruel World-ruler: “I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant (that is, my soul) will be healed».  Amen.