Lenten Reading, Friday, March 19

Lent Reading: Faith of the centurion. Matthew 8:5-13

And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him,

 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented."

 Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

 But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

 "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment.