Nov 29
Monday of the First Week of Advent
God Alone
Expect the unexpected. That’s certainly the way Advent can feel as we journey through Scripture. Today’s Gospel reading is that of the Roman centurion, whose profession of faith in Jesus — “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed” (Matt 8:8) — serves as the basis of our own prayer before Communion at every Mass. We may come into Advent expecting the run-up to a baby in a manger, but instead we fast forward to a scene that feels more appropriate to Lent. That’s precisely the beauty of this season of paradoxes. We wait and wonder and soak up stories that refuel our faith. Do we, like the centurion, trust that God’s word alone can save us?