Gospel (Lk 7,1-10) - At that time, Jesus, when he had finished speaking all his words to the people who were listening, entered Capernaum. A centurion's servant was sick and about to die. The centurion held him very dear. Therefore, having heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him to ask him to come and save his servant. When they came to Jesus, they insistently begged him: "He deserves that you grant him what he asks for - they said -, because he loves our people and it was he who built our synagogue". Jesus walked with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent some friends to tell him: «Lord, don't bother yourself! I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; for this reason I myself did not consider myself worthy of coming to you; but say the word and my servant will be healed. In fact, I too am in the condition of a subordinate and I have soldiers under me and I say to one: "Go!", and he goes; and to another: “Come!”, and he comes; and to my servant: 'Do this!', and he does it." Upon hearing this, Jesus admired him and, turning to the crowd that followed him, said: "I tell you that not even in Israel have I found such great faith!". And when the messengers returned home, they found the servant healed.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus enters Capernaum. Here there is a Roman centurion, a pagan who, despite being the representative of the oppressor, shows particular attention towards the Jews, so much so that he even helped them build the city's synagogue. However, he is very worried about the serious illness that has struck one of his servants. He knows well that, as a pagan, he cannot dare to approach that master. Three attitudes emerge in this Roman centurion: the first two are love for his servant (he treats him like a son) and boundless trust in the young prophet of Nazareth; the third is the unworthiness he feels in front of that young prophet, so much so that he does not consider himself worthy of going to him. While Jesus is approaching his house, he sends other friends to tell him not to bother him any longer. His faith makes him pronounce those words that all Christians still repeat today during the Eucharistic liturgy: "I am not worthy of you coming under my roof... but say the word and my servant will be healed." This pagan centurion becomes the image of the true believer, that is, of the one who recognizes his own unworthiness and believes in the power of the word of Jesus: just one is enough to save and be saved. The words that come from the mouth of Jesus have the strength of God and of his love for him. Jesus, hearing the words reported to him, admired that centurion and, turning to the crowd that followed him, said of him: "I tell you that not even in Israel have I found such great faith!".