By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Well, a very happy (albeit tardy) Thanksgiving to all of you … obviously much-subdued this year with the pandemic squelching travel and family gatherings, and yet very thankful for all that we DO have. Not to be Pollyannaish, but it is quite true that a joyful heart and countenance relieve many a woe … recalling the prophet Habakkuk: “Though the fig tree blossom not, nor fruit be on vines/though the yield of the olive fail and the terraces produce no nourishment, / Though the flocks disappear from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls / yet will I rejoice in the Lord, and exult in my saving God…” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Such faith and trust we find in a rather unexpected source when we read the account of the Roman centurion and his deathly-ill slave (Matthew 8:5-11). Now, you can imagine how tough were centurions—leading and disciplining a unit of around 80-100 hard-bitten, battle-hardened veterans—especially while they were an occupying force in a foreign land, far from home.  One commentator relates the historian Polybius’ description that centurions should be: “…not so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable; they ought not be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts.” So, centurions were hard, tough, dependable men of good judgment—much as non-commissioned officers (corporals, sergeants, etc.) of today’s armed forces—the indispensable glue and goad of the Roman army.

But even though our centurion is Roman and very likely pagan (after all, he would have respected Roman gods for him to reach the position he had), he nonetheless was lured in his conscience by Jewish monotheism in recognizing one true God. And yet, as tough and strong as he certainly had to be, he yet had the tenderness of heart to do all he could to save a mere slave, only sending messengers to ask Jesus for the slave’s healing because the centurion himself felt unworthy to do so.

Now, a slave was nothing but a “thing” in this period.  Aristotle wrote: “…master and slave have nothing in common; a slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave.” So this centurion was an extraordinary man, seeing beyond the culture of the day and realizing the humanity of his slave and caring for him … humbling himself to beg the help of this wandering Jewish preacher … a member of the conquered people of a backwater nation … risking ridicule and even denunciation from his peers.

Jesus was at that time living primarily in Capernaum where this centurion was stationed, and so the centurion no doubt heard of the healings that Jesus was accomplishing … and he had the spiritual insight to recognize the power of God in Jesus. And then Jesus, in recognizing the man’s great faith, makes that statement about the universality of God’s impending kingdom:  “I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline…at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven.” ALL are called by God.

This reminds of the other scripture reading of that Mass (Monday) which speaks of the coming kingdom: “The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor…He who remains in Zion and he who is left in Jerusalem [the faithful] will be called holy; everyone marked down for life in Jerusalem,”… sounding much like the book of Revelation about the Heavenly Jerusalem: “…the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb [Jesus]. By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it… But nothing unclean shall enter it…but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:23-27)

We are inscribed into the Lamb’s book of life by having that faith of the centurion … trusting in God, always seeking the good. And so, O Christian … you who have the Church, the scriptures, and the grace of the sacraments … will you not match the faith of even the pagan centurion?

Related here before is an account in a movie about Shaka Zulu, the charismatic warrior leader of the South African Zulus in the 1800s who led his people to victory and re-conquest, causing much consternation among the European colonials. The governor’s advisor suggested that Shaka might be open to a bribe, to which the governor replied: “Unfortunately, Shaka is one of those rare men whose actions actually match his convictions.” What better description could be had—especially a Christian!

So let US act with unshakeable conviction … with good judgment and wisdom and charity, always remembering St. Paul’s exhortation: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8) … but not only think about them, but DO them … for, as we read in the book of Revelation: “And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done,” (Revelation 20:12), and Jesus Himself said: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock…” (Matthew 7:24)

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“Love righteousness…think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.” (Wisdom 1:1-2)

Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.