“ Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.“
The captain answered, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and
my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say
to one, ‘Go!’ he goes; and if I say to another, ‘Come!’ he comes; and if I say to my servant,
‘Do this!’ he does it.“
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished; and said to those who were following him, “I tell
you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west
and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the
heirs of the kingdom will be thrown out into extreme darkness; there, they will wail and grind
their teeth.“ Then Jesus said to the captain, “Go home now. As you believed, so let it be.
“ And at that moment, his servant was healed.
Jesus went to Peter’s house and found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He took
her by the hand and the fever left her; she got up and began to wait on him.
Reflect
A line in the Letter to the Hebrews recalls today’s first reading. This line calls Christians
to exercise hospitality, for thus have some unknowingly entertained angels. Abraham
opened his home and shared his table with wanderers, finding out only later that they
were messengers from the Lord.
Hospitality was crucial in Abraham’s culture. For nomads in the desert, being
welcomed into someone’s tent and offered refreshment could literally be the difference
between life and death. For whom might our welcome be just as life-changing? For
many migrants, welcome in their new countries offers safety and a chance to rebuild
their lives. For a woman facing a challenging pregnancy, our hospitality and moral
and practical support can help to strengthen her to continue the pregnancy and
choose life for her child. For a young person rejected by family or peers, our
understanding welcome could help them feel safe and protect them from the epidemic
of youth suicide. Hospitality always matters, for thus we may entertain angels or
act as angels to those in need.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023