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9th Sunday, Year C

Jesus and the Centurion

In many liturgical years because of the moving dates of Lent/Easter, we may not encounter the Gospel reading for the 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. Yet it is the well known story of Jesus and the Centurion whose servant is dying. It is a scene with many characters: Jesus, the disciples, the Jewish elders, the Centurion, and his friends. There is a background of patronage, implied debt, authority, trust, and a lot more.

Take a moment and consider this short but powerful reading from the comfort of your back porch.

Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary

The Healing of the Officer’s Son | James Tissot, c.1880 | Brooklyn Museum | PD-US

It is good to remember that Luke is also the sacred writer of Acts of the Apostles, perhaps “vol. 2” of the gospel story. Luke would have been well aware of the debates in the early church concerning the mission to and inclusion of Gentiles in the nascent Christian movement. Here, this gospel account foreshadows the various statements in Acts that God knows no partiality; for example, “Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,* ‘In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.’ ” (Acts 10:34–35). The video below explores that passage from Acts 10.