THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
Rom. 12:19b-21: “It is written, ‘Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.’ Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink…’ Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Matt. 8:7-8: “Jesus said to [the centurion], ‘I will come and heal [your servant].’ The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.’”
Reflection
“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word,
and I shall be healed.”
(Catholic liturgy, before Advent 2013)
I remember reciting these words during Catholic mass immediately before receiving Communion. Even today as an Episcopalian, I recite them in my head as I approach the altar to receive.
The words are an adaptation from today’s story, in which a centurion—that is, a Roman centurion—approaches Jesus about his servant’s illness. Note that the centurion doesn’t directly ask Jesus to heal his servant, though, by approaching a known healer in this way, the request is implied. Note also that, whereas Jesus on other occasions displays the power to “remote-heal” a sick person, in this instance, Jesus resolves to “come and heal him.”
The centurion clearly knows about Jesus’ “remote-healing” abilities. Citing his unworthiness to receive such a personal visit, he instead asks Jesus to “just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Where does this feeling of unworthiness come from? Part of it, I think, stems from one’s natural reaction at being in the presence of something so good, so unconditional and selfless, that it reminds you of all those times you’ve fallen short of those qualities. I think of the callings of Moses and Isaiah, where Moses must surely be thinking about when he killed an Egyptian, and Isaiah cites his “dirty mouth”—er, “unclean lips”, as he puts it. But the centurion has another more personal reason to feel unworthy.
The Roman occupation of Judea began around 63 BCE, with the region becoming an official province of the Empire in the year 6 CE, that is, about 25 years before the start of Jesus’ ministry. Both biblical and secular sources tell us that, for Judea, this period was far from the “Pax Romana”, inaugurated under Augustus. Oppression, exploitation, and corruption were the order of the day, especially under rulers such as Herod the Great and Pontius Pilate. The centurion must have known that, regardless of his own personal virtue and values, he was still complicit in a system that promoted the ongoing subjugation of the Judean people in the name of Roman power. And despite all of that, here was a Judean, ready and willing to help him, the enemy!
I think this is why the ancient church paired this story with today’s reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Paul quotes Proverbs: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink…” Jesus looked upon someone who should’ve been his enemy, and helped him anyway. Now, if we just stop here, we’ve got a pretty standard Christian lesson about how to treat our neighbor. But Jesus’ actions shed some light on Paul’s other scriptural reference, which otherwise may sound a little out of place. Paul says we have to love our neighbor because, quoting Deuteronomy, “‘Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay’, says the Lord.” We have to “give place to God’s wrath”. How do “God’s wrath” and God’s “vengeance” fit into all of this?
Well, vengeance does belong to the Lord—but the Lord didn’t take vengeance. What does that say about the Lord’s character when he healed one of his own personal oppressors? Revenge was within his right, yet he chose to overcome evil with good. Maybe that’s what “God’s wrath” really is. God will repay, God will get angry, but, in the face of Jesus, we catch a glimpse of what that anger looks like. And it doesn’t look like human anger. It’s the kind of anger that becomes enraged when evil is repaid with evil, and therefore is zealous to avenge evil with good.
God has set the example, and now asks us: Can we show this type of anger? Can we take this kind of revenge?
Prayer of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God,
mercifully look upon our infirmities,
and in all our dangers and necessities
stretch forth your right hand
to help and defend us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
—Collect for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany; Book of Common Prayer, 1662
Or,
O God,
by the preaching of your apostle Paul,
you have caused the light of the Gospel
to shine throughout the world.
Grant, we pray, that we,
having his wonderful conversion in remembrance,
may show ourselves thankful to you
by following his holy teaching;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
—Collect for The Conversion of St. Paul, January 25; Book of Common Prayer, 1979
(Words: Howard Chandler Robbins, 1876-1952; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
Tune: ‘Chelsea Square’, Howard Chandler Robbins, 1876-1952; harmony by Ray Francis Brown, 1897-1964; descant by Lois Fyfe, 1927-)
Put forth, O God, your Spirit’s might,
And bid your Church increase,
In breadth and length, in depth and height,
Her unity and peace.
Let works of darkness disappear
Before your conquering light.
Let hatred and tormenting fear
Pass with the passing night.
What your apostles came to see
Be ours from age to age:
Their steadfast faith, our unity.
Their peace, our heritage.
O Judge divine of human strife!
O Healer of all pain,
To know you is eternal life,
To serve you is to reign.
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