Breaking the Word

At that very moment he rejoiced (in) the holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."  (Lk 10:21-24)

 

 

Jesus gives a sample prayer. This is the prayer of praise. He praises God for what has happened and that is the fulfilment of the will of the Father. And it is a moment of rejoicing. So prayer is a moment of celebration: it is a moment of praise; and it a moment of thanksgiving because the will of the Father is fulfilled. Jesus sees the fulfilment of the will of the Father in ordinary events; natural events and not in extraordinary miracles.

 

The relationship between the Father and the Son is very revealing. The Father trusts the Son so much that he has handed over everything to the Son. There is total trust between them. There is complete knowledge of one another. (Hosea 6:6 Knowledge of God is more than sacrifices). This knowledge is communicable. Jesus communicates this knowledge to whomever he wishes to.

 

This true and trustworthy and communicable knowledge is what every one wanted to see and hear. The Prophets of the past and the leaders wanted to receive this knowledge but they were not given. The presence of God in Jesus and the working of the kingdom in Jesus were the expectation of everyone.

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,  (Mt 8:5-11)

 

 

A centurion is a man of authority and a man in position of authority. Normally a man in authority does not plead for his subject or does not show concern for his subjects.( I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it.").  He exercises only authority and he demands service from his subjects.

 

This centurion is different. He is aware of his position and authority. But he pleads for his subject and he shows concern for his subject. More than this he was humble in front of Jesus. He practiced Mic 6:8. (You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.)

 

Jesus was amazed at the response of the centurion. Jesus was amazed because this man was a non Jew and yet he practiced the basic requirements of the bible. He showed his concern for the neighbor and he was humble before God. He recognized his humanness and walked humbly before God and he showed his love for his neighbor (the two commandments).