Daily Gospel Reflection for July 1, 2023

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

When I was telling a college friend of mine that I was joining the Catholic Church, he told me one of the things that bothered him growing up was that he had to say “I am unworthy.” I never understood where he was coming from because it is actually one of my favorite parts of Mass. As a person who has suffered and has learned to live/manage my depression, I can dwell on my unworthiness for too long. If I do, it perpetuates a cycle that only has a downward slope.

The centurion in today’s Gospel was used to being in command; being humble was not something he was used to doing. Centurions were used to being strong. I imagine that for him, going to Jesus to heal his servant must have made him feel weak. He was, assumingly, raised in a household that had faith in different gods and yet, that day he went to Jesus, he showed faith so great that Jesus said,

“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

Yes, we are all unworthy. That centurion knew it, I know it, and, yes, it can be hard to understand. However, there is so much hope found in Jesus when we humble ourselves and surrender all of our faith to Him. That hope is what keeps me from feeling a perpetual cycle of unworthiness. That hope is what keeps me sustained when my faith feels weak. When the priest presents the Eucharist and we all get to pray, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed,” my heart rejoices for the things to come, all by the grace and hope I have found in Jesus.

Ponder:

How can we find hope when we also declare our unworthiness?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, thank You for entering under our roofs and healing our souls. Thank You for helping us find hope in You every day.

Click to tweet:

The Centurion was, assumingly, raised in a household that had faith in different gods and yet, that day he went to Jesus, he showed faith so great that Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

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