By: Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C. on September 17th, 2018

A Centurion's Faith: Family Reflection Video

Love thy Neighbor | Holy lives of inspiration

A commanding man brings Jesus his humility.

Today, Jesus is approached at the request of a man with powerful presence and authority: a Centurion. Centurions were reliable, commanding officers, brave captains in charge of hundreds of soldiers. This man, used to commanding men, had an amazing humility in recognizing the presence of Jesus’s true greatness.

He was a man of deep faith, but we may ask: what is faith? I see it as both a gift of God and a human response to God. It is confident assurance of things hoped for. The Centurion certainly had these, and brought his hope to Jesus.

How do we live the faith? Do we stay humble, even if we are in positions of power?

Let us pray for those who use their power for good, that they may remain strong leaders; hungry, humble, and smart!

For additional reading: Today’s Gospel: The Healing of a Centurion’s Slave

About Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.

Father Wilfred J. Raymond, C.S.C. (Father Willy), a native of Old Town, Maine, is the eighth of 12 children. He joined the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1964 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1971. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Stonehill College in 1967 and a master’s in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1971. He served in ministry at Stonehill College (1979-1992), Holy Cross leadership (1994-2000), National Director of Family Theater Productions, Hollywood (2000-2014), and President of Holy Cross Family Ministries (2014-2022). In addition to English, he is conversant in French and Spanish. He remains a diehard fan of the Boston Red Sox, even though he has served as Chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers.