Monday 1st Week of Advent A 2025

There are a couple of things happening in our Gospel today that are amazing.
First a centurion approaches Jesus. This was not a person the disciples would want to
see approach their group much less Jesus.
What was unusual about this Roman officer is that he understood two things. First he
understood what power Jesus really possessed. We don’t know how he came to this
understanding, only that by the time he came face to face with Jesus he understood and
respected the power that Jesus possessed. His understanding of power in general was
built on a life of being part of a well disciplined and structured army. He would have
spent his entire life as a soldier, and authority and where power resides, were an
absolute truth he relied on and lived by each day, even into battle if risking his own
Iife.
So when he understood who Jesus truly was and what miracles he had heard of
perhaps, it was in that absolute understanding of authority and power that he was
convinced this Jesus only had to speak the word and his will would be done. As it was in
the centurions world and position.
The reflection we should consider ourselves, the question we have to ask is, do we
understand who we are worshiping and who we profess our faith in as much as the
centurion did? Do we understand and consider that the Church is the body of this same
Jesus and has the authority Jesus gave it.
Is our belief so absolute and do we react to Jesus by trusting him as much as the
centurion. An absolute trust that wills nothing but his will, knowing the one who created
all can just say a word and his will is done. How does that impact our petitions? How
does that change how we live?
When we ask Jesus for help how certain are we he can help us?
The second event we see in the Gospel today is Jesus telling them that the faithful will
move beyond just the people of the chosen but include even people like you and me.
And we see that immense faith can reside even in us.
Today we are called to see the truth of Jesus Christ as spoke by the centurion. He is all
powerful and nothing is beyond his reach. We are part of the plan for his church and
eternal life is available for us. Even those of us born so far away in distance and time.
We come from the west and east and we too can have absolute faith in Jesus.
Ask for that kind of faith and trust. Knowing he is all powerful and wants the best for us