Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/433

 II. Christ's charity  and  goodness  induced  Him  to  say immediately, "I  will  come  and  heal. him." (Matt. viii. 7.)  He  offered  more  than  the  centurion  asked;  to  wit, to come  in  person;  whilst  the  centurion  only  wished  to hear  a  word  from  Him,  which  would  operate,  he  believed, an effectual  cure. " Let  mankind  be  ashamed  of  their backwardness,"  writes  St.  Augustine,  "  for  God  is  more ready  to  give  than  we  to  receive." On another  occasion, Christ was  requested  to  cure  the  son  of  a  ruler,  but refused to  visit  him  in  person,  whilst  on  this  occasion, without being  requested,  He  offers  His  personal  service to a  servant. " To  destroy  our  pride,  He  does  this,"  as St.  Gregory  remarks,  "  because  we  do  not  so  much  consider the  nature  of  men"  (which  is  the  same  in  all),  "  as their  honors  or  riches."

III. The centurion  hearing  that  Christ  intended  to come  Himself,  sent  a  person  to  meet  Him,  and  to  say  to Him,  "  Lord,  trouble  not  Thyself,  for  I  am  not  worthy Thou  shouldst  enter  under  my  roof;  wherefore,  neither did  I  think  myself  worthy  to  come  to  Thee;  but  say  the word,  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed." (Luke vii.  6.) Ponder the  great  humility  of  this  man,  and  learn  that men may  be  humble  in  any  situation  of  life. He deemed himself unworthy  to  receive  Christ  under  his  roof,  but he had  already  received  Him  in  his  heart. Do not  fail to imitate  him.

I. Consider  the  centurion's  description  of  himself;  "I also  am  a  man,  subject  to  authority,  having  under  me