Adventure Is Out There!

Happy Advent everyone! The word God gave me yesterday for this season was “adventure”. The definitions are: an exciting or very unusual experience; participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises (the spirit of adventure); to risk or hazard; to take the chance or dare; to take the risk involved. I thought this was great insight into the season of Advent for sure and definitely for today’s gospel. The centurion knew that his approaching Jesus was risky, vulnerable, and slightly hazardous. Romans and Jews were not necessarily supposed to hang out, but his “spirit of adventure” touched Jesus in such a way that He responded immediately, “I will come and cure him.” This teaches me that when I risk in the name of love, Jesus recognizes it as an exciting and very unusual experience and He just loves those!!! Jesus is all in, but the centurion does what I so often do, “Lord, I’m not worthy.” We come at things according to our own brokenness, woundedness, and self-possession, and while the centurion was simply stating that it would not be socially or politically or religiously acceptable for Jesus to go to a Roman centurion’s house, when I say, “I’m not worthy,” it has different ramifications. Then the centurion reveals his “spirit of adventure” one more time by stating, “Only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Again, he participated in an exciting undertaking and dared to take a chance that was rooted in faith deep within. The desires of our heart nudge us toward the Beloved when we have the mindfulness to pay attention and to respond. Sometimes desperate situations such as illness, loss, and pain amplify that mindfulness and give us what we need to take a chance toward wholeness. 

When the centurion acknowledged Jesus’ authority that was the ultimate show of his faith. The religious leaders had been questioning Jesus’ authority and were threatened by it. This Roman recognized that Jesus’ words, presence, and healings indicated a higher power that He was operating under. Authority would be something that a Roman centurion would pay attention to and Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” When we recognize Jesus’ power that now dwells within each of us through the Holy Spirit, we will see healings, signs and wonders, and lots and lots of conversion all over the place. This centurion’s willingness to adventure with Jesus sets us up perfectly for an Advent like none other. To quote one of my favorite movies, Up, “ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!” 

Let’s approach Jesus with expectations for adventure. Let’s trust that His Word alone has the power to heal, change, and set free. Let’s recognize the authority that each one of us has in Jesus. Let’s risk in the name of love. Let’s adventure!! It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 IS 4:2-6

On that day,
The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
He who remains in Zion
and he who is left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.
When the LORD washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem's blood from her midst
with a blast of searing judgment,
Then will the LORD create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
For over all, the LORD's glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.

Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4B, 4CD-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city 
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up, 
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel, 
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats, 
seats for the house of David. 
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! 
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls, 
prosperity in your buildings. 
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia SEE PS 80:4

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come and save us, LORD our God;
let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."  
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."  
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."