2025/09/22

214. “Catechism of the Catholic Church” № 1386

This blog has spent a considerable amount of time so far carefully observing and reflecting on the episode of the centurion in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. That is because I thought it necessary to review this episode from the perspective that the words of the centurion, asking Jesus to heal his servant (slave), are the words used in Mass liturgies around the world in important occasions when the priest and the congregation together respond to the invitation to communion in front of the Eucharist that the priest raises up. In both of the above Gospels, the centurion appears in two scenes. One in which he asks Jesus to heal his servant (slave), and the other in which he stands by the cross of Jesus and expresses his faith in Jesus. The latter is also described by the Gospel of Mark. Whether or not the centurion in these scenes is the same person, we can see two stages of faith in the centurion's words. 

In the first scene, where the centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant (slave), the centurion could come to Jesus drawn by the drawing power of the Father, as Jesus said: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (Jn 6:44). And his faith allowed him to have Jesus heal his sick servant (slave). This is the first stage. On the other hand, in the scene of Jesus' crucifixion, it is written: “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’" (Mk 15:39). The centurion's words here are a fulfilment of Jesus' words, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (Jn 12:32). The second stage. 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (second edition, 1997), № 1386, it is written: “Before so great a sacrament, the faithful can only echo humbly and with ardent faith the words of the Centurion: ‘Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima a mea’ (’Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.’” But the centurion's words here are the words he uttered when he came to Jesus, drawn by the Father, i.e., the words in the first stage. It is a different stage from that of us Christians who have come to Jesus, drawn by the words of Jesus, who said, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth ...” We believers were drawn to Jesus, who was lifted up from the earth, i.e., Jesus on the Cross. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church then presents the words of prayer in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. They include the cry of the thief who was crucified with Jesus: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This cry is, so to speak, the cry of the first man who was drawn to Jesus on the Cross. 

Although the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom certainly contains a response towards Jesus on the Cross, this scene never leads to the scene of the centurion in the account in the Acts of the Apostles after the descent of the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles describes the centurion as “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God” (Acts 10:2). The centurion's relationship with the Apostle Peter (cf. 10:1-48) was the catalyst for the Church's move towards Gentile missionary work. The trajectory of faith conveyed by the episode of the centurion symbolizes the development of the Church that we, as believers, aspire to. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, № 1382, states: “The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord’s body and blood. But the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself for us.” As such, should we, believers, not apply the words of the centurion's second stage to Jesus on the Cross, “Truly, this man was the Son of God”, to the response we make “before so great a sacrament”, the Eucharist? 

The words of the priest's invitation to communion, according to the Roman Missal, are: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb” The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is what John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus coming towards him. Hence, “the supper of the Lamb” is the last supper of Jesus. At this time in the Mass, we certainly see Jesus lifted up on the Cross in the Eucharist that the priest raises. 

Maria K. M.