Let's talk about the centurion

I hadn't prepared to post anything but today felt like a necessary post so pardon the scantness of depth. Luke 7 opens with the healing of the Centurion's servant. This is a passage I remember hearing every once in a while in church but its meaning became much more immediate to me when I learned that we used it in mass! (Shout out to Scott Hann and Supper of the Lamb!) Now, of course we use it more directly in the new translation but anyway, I flipped open the Bible and this passage came up.
What I find really interesting is that Jesus said this man, a Roman, not an Israelite, has more faith than anyone he has seen in all his ministry. And what is Jesus reacting to give such an astounding proclamation? After humbly stating he is not worthy of Jesus entering his house, the centurion says: "I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me." (Luke 7:8) This man is acknowledging what Jesus says throughout the gospel, that He is there to do the will of the One who sent Him, God the Father. But, in the same way that Jesus subjects Himself to His Father's will, those who follow Christ must do as He commands. The Centurion is not an extraordinary man except in one feature: his great love.

The Centurion is coming to Christ on behalf of his dear servant, a man he loves deeply as a friend and fellow soldier. We know that he loves and is charitable also by the elders begging of Jesus, "This man really deserves your help. he loves our people and he himself built a synagogue for us." (Luke 7:4-5) How different is the Centurion from these elders though! He loves greatly but does not boast of his deserving! He does not say, "Heal my servant for I have given your people a temple!" No, rather he says, "Sir, don't trouble yourself. I do not deserve to have you come into my house, neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Just give the order, and my servant will get healed." (Luke 7: 6-7 *As you can tell, this is an odd translation but it's what I have on hand right now). This speaks to the wisdom of the Centurion in understanding Authority.

Just as the Centurion reports to and does the will of his commander, so must Jesus do the will of His Father. And what is the will, the order, the word, of our Father? It is Jesus. That is His command, that is His cry of salvation for us, that is the Word that will heal us. When the Centurion tells Jesus "only say the word and my servant shall be healed" he acknowledges Christ as his superior and also as the Word of God. While He was on earth, Christ put Himself under His Father's will but in truth, this does not make Him less God than our Father is. The Father always has authority over the Son, much as it is in any human relationship. But, in the incomprapble Blessed Trinity, Jesus is in fact one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. His personhood in God is to be subjected to the Father's will while at same time His entire being is the Father's will. The Word that heals the servant is Jesus.

I apologize for rambling. God, please grant us the humility and wisdom of the Centurion in that we may recognize Jesus as our saving grace and Your true Son. May we seek him humbly and confess our weakness to Him so that He may say the Word, Your Word, and heal us that we may be reunited to you. Amen.