Category: New Roman Missal

Today’s readings

Today’s gospel reading gives me the opportunity to talk a bit about the new translation of the Roman Missal.  As you may know, we will begin using that translation at Mass beginning on the first Sunday of Advent this year, November 27^th.  We have already begun using the sung parts of the Mass, with permission from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.  But the recited parts have to wait until November.

One of those recited parts is the response to the priest’s invitation to adoration just before receiving Communion.  The new translation of that prayer is this:

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
And the people’s response, also new, is this:

Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.

I think you can see the similarity here between this prayer and the confession of faith that the centurion makes in today’s gospel reading.  He had faith that Jesus could heal his servant and did not want to even trouble Jesus to come under his roof, unworthy as he was.

When we receive the Eucharist, we do it confessing our own unworthiness, but also professing the same faith that that centurion had.  We know that we are unworthy, but we trust in the worthiness of our Savior, who transforms us completely and makes us worthy in the sight of God.

God is calling us to become worthy by accepting his mercy and forgiveness.  What is the word that Jesus needs to speak to us today, so that our souls can be healed?