Author
Liturgical Date
Readings
“Domine Non Sum Dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo et sanabitur anima mea.”
All of us who normally attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form, that is, the Traditional Mass, know that the Church puts these beautiful words of the centurion on our tongues before we receive Holy Communion. They are words of repentance and contrition, of honesty and sincerity. But on the other hand, they are words that carry with it not a small bit of confusion. That is, am I worthy to receive communion, or am I not? If I am worthy, why do I say that I’m not worthy? And if I am not worthy, then why do I receive communion?
The problem becomes more complex when we listen to Christ who says that this centurion has the greatest faith in all of Israel. In other words, a non-Jew is more believing than any other Jew. And despite the fact that the centurion didn’t let Christ enter into his house to heal his servant, the servant was still healed. The words seem to be part of a big game. If I say that I’m not worthy, then Christ will assist me. But, if I say that I am worthy, I don’t receive anything. Our good God doesn’t seem very loving, but instead seems capricious and envious. From this passage, it seems that Christ helps only those who despise themselves. Is this the way to true humility?
There are other passages in Scripture, though, which demonstrate a loving Christ. In the Gospel according to St. John, for example, Christ seems to elevate us men to his height. He says that “but as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God” (Jn 1:12). By accepting Christ, we become sons of God with him. And that’s not all. To be sons with him he makes us his friends, “I will not now call you servants: for the servant knows not what his lord does. But I have called you friends because all things, whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you.” (Jn 15:15).
So, what is the response? Are we or are we not worthy to receive communion? Besides the simple teaching of the Church which requires a fast and the absence of grave sin, the answer is found in the following phrase. The centurion says: “For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to one, Go, and he goes, and to another Come, and he comes, and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.” (Mt 8:9). In saying that he is subject to authority, he is recognizing that compared to the emperor, the centurion, with his lieutenants, is nothing. But since he has been entrusted a hundred soldiers, and he takes care of them, he has received much more, and has even become powerful. And it’s the same for us. Compared to God, with Christ, we are truly poor and not worthy. But placing our trust in Christ, we are not only worthy, but we become sons of God, sons of the light; we are friends of Christ, and we have the power to do everything.