In her newspaper column and her radio show, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt invited people to write to her. In 1932 she received over 300,000 letters. She dictated a number of set replies which staff then sent. But she also answered many letters individually.
I remember reading in a biography of her that Eleanor left social or private activity of the evening at the White House at 9 pm to go to her study with her secretary to answer the letters of the day. Often, she worked well into the night. The US was in ongoing crisis during the years that she was First Lady. We went through the Great Depression and most of World War II. Her openness to receive and reply to all those letters must have been a touch of grace during a long, difficult time.
As I read through a selection of those letters this morning, I was struck by the blunt honesty and sincere need that was present in so many of them. Mrs. Roosevelt seemed to take it all in stride—responding back with honesty and sincerity of her own.
Leaders and Prayer in Ephesus
Both readings today talk about political leaders and prayer. The scene of the first reading is the church in Ephesus. This Christian community, like many of the time (about 60-67 AD), was struggling with growing pains. The church was a mixture of people with Jewish roots and pagan roots. Exactly what Christian worship, Christian culture, and Christian theology would become was not yet determined. Like most of us in the 21st century, people wanted to mix the new with the part of the old they liked. The new was still being formed; the old of the two cultures had a long history of mutual opposition. Probably their squabbles sounded like many today on Facebook or Twitter. It was not pretty.
Paul had been in Ephesus to help guide people to remember “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.” Timothy, a second generation Apostle, had gone to Ephesus with Paul. He remains there. Paul is writing to him—about what to do with continued divisions in the church.
The advice seems appropriate for us today: “I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.”
Everyone. All in authority. That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life. Taken in the context of the whole letter, I take that to mean that Paul means praying for goodness—for grace (God’s unmerited favor) to fall on ALL political leaders AND on ALL those who have different points of view, as well as on all of like mind.
I have a friend who prays consistently in our prayer group “that the Holy Spirit may fall on everyone, all over the world.” Her logic is that if the Holy Spirit comes, people will find ways to love and be at peace. That’s very, very good theology. It’s a political strategy far better than those touted by experts on endless news programs.
Leaders and Grace in Capernaum
The situation in Capernaum as Jesus returns there is somewhat different. Here there is not division between political leaders and the people; there is respect and unity. A Centurion was a Roman soldier who was leader of 100 men. Translated, that probably means he was the Roman official who ran the city. By his own words in today’s Gospel, he tells his soldiers what to do—and they do it.
Yet he has handled himself and his soldiers in such a way that he has gained the respect and good will of the Jewish leaders. They approach Jesus and ask him to cure the Centurion’s slave.
I think what happens next is fascinating and a message for us: The Centurion is humbled and grateful for Jesus’ coming. He knows that if Jesus enters his house, Jesus will be “unclean” and will have to go through rituals of purification before he can worship. He wants and hopes for the cure of his slave, but he trusts Jesus to do it by simply willing it, so he is not burdened with purification.
And so, Jesus does.
Applications for Us
The first application I make is to remember that what we say after the Lamb of God at mass is based on what the Centurion says, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Jesus is the mediator for me, too—and for you. We are not worthy that Jesus should come to us in the house of our souls. But, he does come. We receive him in the Eucharist.
Yet—and this stretches my soul a bit, though with the stretch comes a sense of rich joy—Jesus did not have to physically come to the Centurion. He did not physically enter his house. Yet he answered the Centurion’s prayer. He healed his slave. He was present.
During the early days of the pandemic, when we could not attend mass in person, our pastor or deacon would read a “Prayer for Spiritual Communion” as communion time ended to guide all of us watching the mass at home to open ourselves to receive Jesus spiritually—even though we could not be at church to receive the Eucharist.
We continue that practice now, and I think it is a wonderful thing to do, not just for people watching on video, but also for all those at mass who cannot receive communion—not Catholic husbands and wives, unbaptized grandchildren with Nana and Pop, visitors seeking God, all those in complicated marriages, etc. As I pray that prayer in my heart as it is read, I even pray that all of us who receive Jesus in the Eucharist may receive him spiritually—that our souls will be touched and healed by his coming under our roofs. I pray that ALL who hear those words may receive Christ through the Holy Spirit.
I don’t always think of ALL people, but we are called today to pray for ALL. All political leaders. All civil authorities. All those of opposite points of view. All those not in full communion. All of us. For touches of grace.
Prayer of Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus,
I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
