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 Pharisees and  their  many  adherents  would  not  believe. Our Lord  made this the  occasion  of  uttering  the  significant  and  striking  prophecy  that many heathens,  all  over  the  world,  would  believe  in  Him,  becoming thereby the  spiritual  children  of  Abraham,  and  would  possess  the  kingdom of heaven  promised  to  him; whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Israelites, the real  descendants  of  Abraham,  who  were  called  into  the  kingdom of heaven  before  any  one  else,  would  not,  as  a body,  believe  and  be saved,  but  would  be  lost  by  reason  of  their  unbelief. This prophecy of the  spread  of  His  Church  among  the  Gentiles  has  been  completely fulfilled, and  proves  the  Omniscience  of  our  Lord.

The Goodness  and  Compassion  of  Jesus. Our  Lord  did  not  drive the leper  from  Him,  but  “had  compassion  on  him”  (Mark  i,  41),  and touched him  who  was  counted  as  unclean. And now  also,  Jesus  drives no sinner  from  Him,  however  foul  and  unclean  he  may  be,  if  only  he will  believe  and  do  penance. Our Lord  was  quite  ready  to  go  to  visit and help  the  centurion’s  sick  servant; but  in  our  case  He  condescends not merely  to  come  into  our  house,  but  into  our  very  hearts,  in  Holy Communion, so  as  to  strengthen  us,  His  feeble  servants,  and  keep  us in  His  grace.

The command  of  Jesus  to  submit  to  Gods  priests.  As  Christ  would not have  cured  the  leper,  if  he  had  refused  to  show  himself  to  the priest, so  now  no  one  obtains  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  unless  he  reveals them to  the  priest  in  confession.

The virtues  of  the  centurion:

1. Compassion. He had  bought  this  slave  with  money,  and  had he died,  he  could  easily  have  bought  another,  for  he  was  very  rich,  or else  he  could  not  have  built  the  Jews  a synagogue. But he  had  a kind and compassionate  heart,  and  he  was  full  of  pity  for  his  slave,  who was suffering  such  acute  pain,  and  wished  to  do  what  he  could  to help  him. His kindness  of  heart  showed  to  great  advantage  beside  the hardness of  heart  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  (Mat.  23,  23). “Blessed are the  merciful.”

2. Faith.  The  centurion’s  compassion  was  the  means  of  his  receiving the  gift  of  faith. His compassion  made  him  seek  for  help  from Jesus. He had  heard  of  the  miracles  which  our  Lord  had  already worked, and,  by  God’s  grace,  what  he  heard  engendered  in  his  heart a firm belief  that  Jesus  was  the  Messias  whom  the  Jews  expected,  and that He  was  able,  without  even  entering  his  house,  to  save  his  servant from certain  death.

3. Humility. Faith made  the  centurion  humble. The Jewish  ancients said  about  him:  “He  is  worthy  that  Thou  shouldst  help  him”, but he  himself  said  to  Jesus:  “Lord,  I am  not  worthy”  &amp;c. He felt his sinfulness  and  nothingness  acutely  in  the  Presence  of  Jesus,  the Holy and  Almighty  One,  even  as  Peter  felt  it  at  the  time  of  the