The Virtue of Humility Before God and People
4th Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 6:18-23; Matthew 8:5-13
Today's gospel story is essentially about a centurion of the Roman army. Generally, in those days, in all the territories conquered by the Roman state, all civil authorities obeyed the superiors of the Roman army. Commanders of military units were also deputies of the Roman state power.
Over the centuries, the Roman Empire subdued many countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Roman conquerors captured and enslaved many different kings, and all kinds of rulers in different countries of three continents and escorted them, along with thousands of their subjects, to Rome. This demonstrated the omnipotence of Rome.
And as a result, a feeling of pride and superiority developed among the Romans, especially among the representatives of the authorities and among the military commanders. All conquered peoples were considered inferior, and, as a rule, the Romans treated conquered peoples with disdain, or even contempt.
Thus, it was neither Nietzsche nor even Hitler who invented the theory of a superior race - such theories, whether officially formulated or not, were practised by many conquerors, of different peoples, of different races.
Today's Gospel story is unusual, first of all, because the representative of the above mentioned Roman elite - a centurion of the Roman army - did not show pride before God and people, but, rather, humility. Additionally, he showed great faith in Jesus Christ, which can and should serve as an example for us, Christians.
The centurion did not come to his subordinates to dictate, but to ask, beg... Moreover, he did not ask for favours for himself, but for his servant. In order to understand the full depth of his action, one must keep in mind that the servant was not just a hireling, but a slave, therefore a completely lawless person, according to the Roman laws of that time. (Evangelist Luke calls that centurion's servant a slave, Luke 7:2).
The centurion, as a Roman government official, had great power over the Israelites, but he did not boast of his power. On the contrary, he humbled himself: he asked for mercy from Jesus, who had no secular power, who was in the position of an unauthorized preacher of a new faith in a country occupied by the Romans.
Moreover, the Roman centurion, who was not officially a confessor of the One God, had such great faith in the power of Jesus' spiritual grace that he believed that it was enough for Jesus to but utter a word, and his servant would be healed. He considered himself unworthy for Jesus to even enter his house.
Impressed by the demonstrated faith of the Roman centurion, Jesus testified that He had "not found such great faith, not even in Israel" (Matthew 8:10). And, taking into account the great faith of the centurion, taking into account his humility and self-abasement before people, Jesus Christ showed him great mercy-- indeed, with a word, at a distance, he healed his servant:
“‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” (Matthew 8, 13).
It is important for us to remember that each of us can turn to God in times of pain, serious illness or any kind of grief. Even the biggest atheists, when something causes them great pain, remember the name of God. All people at the moment of severe pain and suffering long for God to help them.
But let us remind ourselves of the truth attested in the Gospel, that that Roman centurion, when no one in his house was sick, when he had not yet asked for mercy either for himself or for his servant, he still remembered God and tried to do good for the people subordinate to him. The Gospel of Luke affirms that the centurion built a house of prayer (synagogue) for the Israelites. (Luke 7:5)
That example from The Gospel is very important for us, and we must remember it, so that we also remember God, do good, according to His instructions, always, so that our faith in God is manifested in our deeds for the glory of God and for good our neighbours.
We must also remember that many of us lack a sense of modesty, and among us are many people who want to elevate themselves, not lower themselves. In many of our organizations and church communities, on the occasion of various celebrations, all kinds of anniversaries, there are not enough seats at the main table. Even when the so-called head tables are lengthened and positioned to run along the length of a hall rather than across, there are still not enough seats for the deserving. Some people consider it an insult to their honour if they are not invited to the head table.
Somehow, we forget in our daily life about the exhortation of Christ:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5.8).
It happens at times that we are overcome by arrogance. Once I met with one of our "businessmen." He wished to have a snack, but did not want to go to an ordinary restaurant... Finally, he found an extravagant one. While ordering exquisite dishes, he boasted that he was about 60 and had the health of a 20-year-old.
In the conversation, he pointed out that all organizations are worthless, because there is no one as intelligent as him, and that our Church lacks such a bright mind as his... A few days later he was seized with an illness, and a couple of days after that he was already deceased. He was brought to the church, the choristers sang beautifully... but in the church at Divine services, ever since he had become rich, he had rarely been seen. He would send his membership dues by mail and did not know the life of his Church, and yet he considered himself most worthy.
Officially, such people recognize themselves as Christians, believers in God, but because of their self-exaltation before people and humiliation of others, it is not known how the Lord will accept their faith.
It can happen that insincere people cover their actions with external feigned piety, and despise other Christians, in particular - our Orthodox Christians, our Orthodox Church. Once a young girl, who intended to get married in our Church, but belonged to another, came and confided to me: “The Reverend Father told me that if I get married in the Orthodox Church, then I will live a lifetime without God's blessing, and in case of death, then God will not accept my soul...”
It appears that the priest, because of the fact that he serves under the authority of the Roman (papal) throne, governs the will of God: he does not know how that woman will live with a man - righteously or not righteously, whether she will do good or evil, but he has already determined that when that woman gets married in the Orthodox Church, then she will be deprived of God's blessing and her soul will not be accepted by God... This is an example of pride and arrogance - the opposite of the virtues that the Roman centurion showed.
Saint James the Apostle teaches us from God that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (The General Epistle of James 4,6).
The Lord Jesus Christ affirmed:
" And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. " (Matthew 23:12).
Therefore, when we want to receive the grace of God, let us imitate the Roman centurion in the virtues of humility and in showing great faith in Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Very Rev. Fr. Taras Slavchenko
Taras Slavchenko was born on March 8, 1918 in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region in Ukraine. After graduating from school and the Pedagogical College, he entered the language and literature faculty of the Scientific Pedagogical Institute. Having successfully completed it in 1938, he served as a teacher in a secondary school.