Thank you. I knew the story of the centurion.
So what is being healed at that time?
Or is it more that at least we are aknowledging our short comings, which I would hope also means that we are trying to correct them
Rob 161.
Nothing is being healed at that time in the Mass. Rather we are expressing confidence in Jesus – he has healed us, made us worthy. We are doing so by quoting a part of Scripture, Matthew 8:8, but applying it to ourselves.
The correspondence to Scripture is clearer when Mass is celebrated in Latin. Matthew 8:8 in the Latin Vulgate translation has:
“Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum sed tantum dic verbo et sanabitur puer meus”
At Mass, the Latin response is:
“Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.”
Only the two words at the end are different.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a good explanation of this in n. 1384-1388. (Which is at
vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a3.htm )
"Take this and eat it, all of you": communion
1384 The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: “Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”[footnoe 215: Jn 6:53]
1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself."216 Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.
1386 Before so great a sacrament, the faithful can only echo humbly and with ardent faith the words of the Centurion: “Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea” (“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.”).217 And in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the faithful pray in the same spirit:
O Son of God, bring me into communion today with your mystical supper. I shall not tell your enemies the secret, nor kiss you with Judas’ kiss. But like the good thief I cry, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.218 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.
1388 It is in keeping with the very meaning of the Eucharist that the faithful, if they have the required dispositions, receive communion when they participate in the Mass.219 As the Second Vatican Council says: "That more perfect form of participation in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest’s communion, receive the Lord’s Body from the same sacrifice, is warmly recommended."220
You’re right. I meant to say, ‘The centurian tells Jesus…’ rather than , ‘The servant tells Jesus …’
