For our daily reflection, the centurion’s character in today’s Gospel needs to be looked at. We are made aware that he had a problem which, although he was powerful and had wealth and authority, he could not solve.
What was the problem?
One of his servants who was very valuable to him was ill and his wealth, power and influence could not solve his problem. This problem of the centurion was later solved by Jesus. It was solved due to the appeal made to the Jews who were close to and connected to Jesus. The Jews took it upon themselves to seek help for this centurion.
This is strange. It is strange because the centurion was an official of the Roman Empire and the Israelites did not like the Romans. Israel was a vassal state that had to pay taxes to the Roman Empire. They therefore abhorred almost everything about the Roman Empire and were looking for ways to liberate themselves from the reins of the Romans. A good number of them would seek almost every opportunity available to get rid of a Roman soldier.
So, it is interesting that they are the very ones interceding on behalf of a Roman Centurion.
The question this brings to mind is, why are they asking for help on his behalf? They are doing so because of the personality of the centurion. Even though he (the centurion) was not a Jew, he did not condemn or chastise the Jews; neither did he abuse his power by suppressing them. Rather, he showed them love and lived in harmony with them. He even went ahead and built a place of worship for them. In short, he was a good man to them.
The Jews were moved to intercede on his behalf because of the love, kindness and cordial relationship he had built with them. They did not do so because of his wealth or power. They showed him love because he showed them love.
So, when the centurion had a problem that his wealth, status and power could not solve, he unknowingly had a bargaining chip or token that came in handy. It was his character and love that helped solve his problem.
It is also good to note that the Roman Centurion was not nice to the Jews because he knew that he would need their help in the future. No, he did so because that was the right thing to do. And as the saying goes, “Good never lost.”
There are many times in our own lives when we would be faced with similar situations. We will encounter problems that our wealth, status, and power cannot solve. During such times, it is the relationships that we have built with people unknowingly over the years that might come in handy.
Let us never fall short in being nice and loving and treating people with dignity.
NB.
It is easier for poorer people to be nicer and loving to richer people and for people of lower social status to be nicer and loving to people of higher social status. The true test of our character is being nice and loving to those we are richer than or those that we are “better off” than.