What does the statement at Mass right before the priest breaks the bread mean?

[PMV]

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” What is the meaning of this statement?

 

[Church_Militant]

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” What is the meaning of this statement?

This prayer is taken from the following verses in the NT:

Matthew 8:8 “And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.”

Luke 7:6 “And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.”

Paraphrased and prayed as liturgy during the Eucharist it expresses our unworthiness to receive Christ except for the mercy and grace of God’s sacrifice of His son on the cross, which the Mass re-presents to God as per Jesus instructions at the last supper and St. Paul’s epistles which say that whenever we do this we show the Lord’s death until He comes again.

You might look up the whole section on The Euchrist in the Catechism for a beautiful and concise explanation of it all.
Also this tract: catholic.com/library/Christ_in_the_Eucharist.asp

and these: catholic.com/library/Institution_of_the_Mass.asp

catholic.com/library/Real_Presence.asp

There are others among the tracts on this homepage about the Eucharist that will also help, so you might try checking them all out.

 

[Exporter]

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” What is the meaning of this statement?

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From the top of my head. Others may give the Bible references (verses).
There was a Roman Officer (Army) who approached Jesus and asked ," My house is not worthy for your entry, but will you heal my slave who is in my house?" Jesus told the soldier to go home and he would find the slave healed.

Meaning, even though we (us) are certainly not worthy to take Christ into our bodies, He said He will go into our bodies and heal us!

We used to say, just a few years ago," Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul will be healed."

 

[puzzleannie]

posters are correct, pray also means that our unconfessed venial sins are forgiven in the Eucharist, and this prayer requests that grace, so that we may receive worthily.

 

[PMV]

****************************************************************************
From the top of my head. Others may give the Bible references (verses).
There was a Roman Officer (Army) who approached Jesus and asked ," My house is not worthy for your entry, but will you heal my slave who is in my house?" Jesus told the soldier to go home and he would find the slave healed.

Meaning, even though we (us) are certainly not worthy to take Christ into our bodies, He said He will go into our bodies and heal us!

We used to say, just a few years ago," Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul will be healed."

“But only say the word and I shall be healed.” What does this part mean? Does it mean say any word that would cause this wonderful happening?

 

[davidv]

“But only say the word and I shall be healed.” What does this part mean? Does it mean say any word that would cause this wonderful happening?

I believe it means exactly what the Roman officer meant. Many of Jesus’ healings occurred upon his touch. The officer’s faith allowed him “see” Jesus for who he was. All that was necessary was for Jesus to command it to be done.