Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday of All Saints of Rus’-Ukraine, Tone 3; the Holy Priest-Martyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara (311)
Romans 5:18-23; Romans 8:28-39; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 5:1-16
Apostles’ Fast.
Read Matthew 8:5-13
“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.” (Mt 8:9)
I have read the story about the centurion many times and never understood what the centurion meant when he said, “I myself am a man under authority.” What did he mean by that phrase and why was Jesus so impressed with that phrase? The centurion says that just as he has authority over soldiers, so he knows that Jesus has authority over his servant and over the sickness of the servant. The centurion is confident that just as his soldiers promptly obey his orders, this sickness will promptly obey Jesus if He tells it, “Go.” That is an amazing faith, the confident trust that the centurion has in Jesus.
Now, can we imitate such faith? Exercise is needed.