2002-08-18 When Our Lord offered to go to the house of the Roman centurion

August 18, 2002

When Our Lord offered to go to the house of the Roman centurion, although the man was not a Jew, the officer said, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.” His words are remarkable because humility was not considered a virtue by the classical philosophers. The current translation in the liturgical text reads, “I am not worthy to receive you.” A more accurate translation of the whole Mass is in the works and I hope we have it soon. The centurion’s reference to his own house is especially to the point when the Blessed Sacrament is taken to the apartment of one who is ill. It always applies in church, for however beautiful may be the building, the House of God is only a hint of the Everlasting Halls.

In the parable of the Two Debtors (Luke VII: 36-50), a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to his house for a meal. He is unctuously polite, but there is none of the Roman’s humility. He has the pose of a butterfly collector trying to pin down an exotic specimen. He calls Jesus “Rabbi” with the condescension of someone tolerating a deluded enthusiast. There is a tone of that sometimes when television interviewers invite a cleric on the show to discuss Church news.

A woman with a past shows up and is so deeply moved by Christ that she washes his feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair. The embarrassed Pharisee thinks to himself: “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” Presumably, we know his private thought because he later made it public to justify himself. Jesus stirred his guilt: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet…You gave me no kiss…You did not anoint my head with oil…”

Jesus praised the righteousness of the Pharisees, but not the self-righteousness of this Simon. Our self-righteous culture is quick to judge but slow to confess, because like the old pagan culture, it does not understand humility. It does not take seriously the Sacrament of Confession. It asks, as did the other guests under Simon’s roof: “Who is this who even forgives sins?” There can be no renewal of the Church without renewal of confession. There is an increase in our parish, which is very good. We are not worthy, but every time we go to confession we humbly receive Our Saviour as He deserves to be received.

Fr. George W. Rutler