Matthew 8: 5-13

Words are very powerful. When one is down and a friend or a loved one utters kind and inspiring words, notice how it lifts us up, how it gives us strength, and how it gives us comfort. On the other hand, when people, who we do not know from Adam, say something nasty or unkind, days pass and we are still thinking of that person. Yes, our mood has been affected. Words, indeed, are very powerful.

In St. Matthew’s Gospel the centurion says to Jesus,

You need not come to my house. Just only say the Word and my servant shall be healed.

We must remember that Jesus was a Jew and the centurion was a Gentile. Hence, if Jesus went to his house, he would become ritually unclean. Hence, the line of the centurion which we repeat every celebration of the Holy Eucharist: “Just only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

In discussing words, three reflections:

1. The Words that Come from Our Mouths. – They are very powerful. They can heal or they can cause pain; they can lift up one or they can put one down. Whether good or bad, they are powerful. The prayer of parents for their children are very powerful and so is their curse to their children.
   
2. The Word of God. The Word of the Lord is very powerful like a two-edged sword. “Heaven and earth will pass away but my Word will not”. God is alive. With God nothing is impossible. Hence, His Words and Promises are real. We just always have to be hopeful because His time and ways are different from ours.
   
3. Our Words to God. God is just a prayer away. Jesus said, do not babble words like pagans, but he also said to pray unceasingly. Thus, may our prayers really come from the heart.

Let us pray for all those who are in need of healing, silently uttering their names in our lips. As the centurion said, “Just only say the Word and my servant will be healed.”