The Captain’s faith

Monday, September 18, 2017
24th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 1 Tim 2:1-8
Gospel: Luke 7:1-10
There was a captain whose servant was very sick. (…) So when he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to persuade him to come and save his servant’s life. (…)
Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the captain sent friends to give this message, “Sir, do not trouble yourself for I am not worthy to welcome you under my roof. You see I didn’t approach you myself. Just give the order and my servant will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers and I say to this one: ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to the other: ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant: ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
On hearing these words, Jesus was filled with admiration. He turned and said to the people with him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” The people sent by the captain went back to his house; there they found that the servant was well.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Today’s Gospel story of the captain’s faith in Jesus finds echo in the faith experience I had with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It happened this way. After the World Youth Day celebrations in Cologne, Germany in 2005, we made a side trip to Amsterdam to visit the apparition site of Our Lady of All Nations. By God’s grace we found the place.
By that time I was already having trouble with my tonsil. I knew that when this happens, I would need to take antibiotics three times a day for seven days to arrest full-blown tonsillitis. It was bad timing, really. I brought a one-week supply of antibiotics with me for the journey but the attack happened after I had shared all of them to other pilgrims who weren’t feeling well. Neither could I buy some. Pharmacies in Europe need doctor’s prescription for antibiotics. Judging from the price of two (2) Euros for a 150ml bottle of mineral water, I knew that the services of a physician could cost me a fortune.
I had no recourse but Mother Mary. After praying hard, I took a stem of rose from the vase in front of the picture of the Our Lady of All Nations and robbed it vigorously on my throat. Miracle granted! And up to now, the tonsillitis has not recurred. Even if it will, I would still be grateful to our Lady because at the time I had no one, she was there.
Was it because of my faith? No, it would be like saying the servant in today’s Gospel was cured because of the faith of the servant and not of the captain. It was Mary’s faith that moved Jesus to do the miracle of healing for me. Mary was my captain at that time of need! She is still my captain now. Who is yours? – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM
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