Glory to Jesus Christ, dear brothers and sisters!

I congratulate you with the Holy Communion, with the consecration of your souls and bodies.

Today we have heard very interesting Gospel, where it is written about Centurion, who came to Jesus and begged for someone’s healing. Who was it? It wasn’t his wife, it wasn’t his child. He asked God to heal his servant.

We can think over that: “Who was Centurion?” Centurion was Roman. And Romans were heathens at those times. They did not believe in One God, as Judaic people did. But we see that one centurion was filled with faith and knowledge of One God. And perhaps, he was told that the prophet, the teacher appeared, who was walking, teaching, helping, preaching. So he came to Him and started to ask.

We see the reaction of Jesus Christ, who was the Jew. And at those times Jews did not like Romans, because Romans considered being aggressors, they captured Judaic land. But Jesus Christ did not pay attention on that. So the Centurion appealed to him and asked for healing for his servant. And Jesus answered: “I will come and heal him.” So we have an example for imitation: it does not matter who asks for help – Ukrainian or not, Russian or not; or even a person of other nationality, other religion – we have to help. If God gives us an opportunity to do good, we must use it and help. Because Jesus Christ did everything in the same way.

And after that we see the reaction of the Centurion. He asked and Jesus agreed. But he said: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof”.

And we all, dear brothers and sisters, are not worthy to get God’s healings and His blessings with His gifts. We are not worthy, because we live on the Earth. We are not perfect, but God with His great Love blesses us. He heals us spiritually and physically with His great Love. We don’t know what would happen yesterday, today or what will happen tomorrow with us, if God did not protect and bless us.

And after that Jesus Christ was very surprised when He heard Centurion’s words: “Only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Jesus was very surprised. How could Roman say such things! Centurion believed in his own way that Jesus Christ could heal his servant just saying a word. At that time Centurion did not know that Jesus was the Lord; but he knew that it was very a high soul; he felt it with his heart. So he said: “Only say the word and God’s Angels (we add these words) will execute your request, because You have such power; God listens to You and Angels serve You.” That is why the Lord said: “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

He told about Judaic people; they did not accept the Messiah, they did not accept the Savior. Because God showed His mercy, His Love to that nation and blessed the birth of Jesus Christ among Jews. But the sons of Light, they supposed to be the sons of Light, did not accept Him. But He would be accepted by other people, who come from East and West.

And we know that the Christianity had been spread all over the world. And there are a lot of Christians in the West and East countries. It is the dominate religion in the world. We know that 6 billion people live on the Earth. 2,5 billion people consider themselves as Christians and all others have their own believes. The knowledge of Jesus Christ was spread all over the Earth.

And we read the next passage where God said such words: “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.”

So, as we believe, it will happen. If we ask God with the Faith:”Oh God, bless, help me in this business, help me to be saved, help me to live religious life, help me with… Fill me up with your gifts, healings, blessings.” And if we believe, that God will help us, it can happen. But if we ask: “Oh God, give me some wealth, some other things.” God will not give it, even if we believe very much. Why does it happen? Because God wants our souls to be saved. Maybe that wealth would withhold us from salvation and from God’s path.

That is why, dear brothers and sisters, while talking about such interesting, instructive Gospel, we can take a lesson: God loves us, God does not pay attention on our sinfulness; God wants us to confess, to do good, to serve good, to believe in Him. He will bless us with His gifts, His Love and His healings.

Glory to Jesus Christ!