＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Isaiah 2:1-5

 The vision of Isaiah,

Son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

 In the last days, the mountain of Yahweh’s house shall be set over the highest mountains and shall tower over the hills.

 All the nations shall stream to it, saying, “Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths. For the Teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of Yahweh.

He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will train for war no more.

 O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”

 

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7,8-9

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Matthew 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Caper­naum, an army captain approached him to ask his help,   “Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly.”  Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The captain answered, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed.   For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one: ‘Go,’ he goes, and if I say to another: ‘Come,’ he comes, and to my servant: ‘Do this,’ he does it.”

 When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those who were following him, “I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel.  I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven;

 

Gospel Reflection：

Although Jesus has preferential option for the house of Israel, He does not withhold His help to people of other nationalities and faith. He explicitly told His disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel only, but His own example shows His openness to address the needs even of those considered as pagans by His own people.

The gospel today is an example. An army captain of the Roman empire begs His to heal his servant. This must have been a special servant close to him for he came in person to entreat the Lord. Or this is a glimpse of the kind of person he is. He loves those under him and take care of them.

And Jesus does not hesitate but is ready to enter his house. But the army captain knowing the customs of the Jews does not wish to defile Jesus who will enter a pagan house, his house. He begs him to say the word and that is enough for him.

His deep faith amazes Jesus. For even His kinsfolk steep into the tradition of the ancestors and the scriptures do not possess such trusting faith. Thus He solemnly declares that not only the house of Israel is welcome in heaven, but those men and women of goodwill form different parts of the earth.