When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour his servant was healed.

Gospelthink: I want as my followers people who have faith in me like the Roman centurion. Have I placed my complete trust in the Lord?

"Take a seat. Right over there, sat on the stairs, stay or leave. The cabinets are bare and I’m unaware of just how we got into this mess. Got so aggressive. I know we meant all good intentions. So pull me closer, come on over. I can’t let you go. Why don’t you just meet me in the middle?”

The centurion in Matthew's Gospel was a man who dealt with authority. He knew the value of obedience, but he also knew the value of compromise. He told Jesus that he expected obedience from those under his command. But he knew that Jesus was much too important for him to demand anything. So, he decided that compromise was the best approach. He wanted his servant healed, but he also knew that he had to give into Jesus' time and energy. And so, he told Jesus that he did not have to come to his house. Simply say the word, he told him, and knowing Jesus, that was enough for him.

Zedd’s song that he sings with Grey and Maren Morris is a song about compromise, or as they call it "meeting in the middle." One of them in the relationship made a mistake, and now he or she is seeking some type of “making up.” They are doing the right thing—they are seeking a compromise to the mess they are in. The couple realize that they had to meet "in the middle," that is, to admit that the other in the relationship was important enough for each of them to give in a little bit.
           
The use of compromise is a common solution to resolving disagreements in negotiation and mediation processes and therefore important for relationships. However, while it may produce an agreement, compromise does not always resolve problems. This is because compromise is frequently a "settled" resolution to a problem and not typically the optimal solution sought by either party. It may generate a functional or material solution but not resolve emotional or behavioral issues associated with the disagreement. As a result one or both parties in the dispute may continue to harbor ill feelings or other dissatisfaction that can surface again if the parties continue to have contact with each other.

Compromise is a great idea, but there are often ill feelings or other dissatisfactions that result, and when they do, they will probably not be solved easily. The couple who are compromising must understand their human desires not to give in to another, and must face them head on so that an agreement will truly result.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, I know that I must learn to give in to another in order to love well. That means that I must learn to compromise so that my relationship with others will truly blossom. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDELINES FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: One of the most important parts of any relationship is the ability to compromise and then carry it through.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. The centurion is begging Jesus to help with a servant. It is an example of true concern for people you know well. In relationships, do you believe that most people show this much concern for others?
2. Jesus says that he has not seen this much "faith" even among his people. What is your definition of faith?
3. In general, do you believe that most couples in a relationship have agreed to compromise?
4. In general, do most Christian people have total trust in Jesus?
5. In general, why can't  people compromise when they should?
6. In general, do most people hold grudges after a compromise?
7. What does the song “The Middle” teach young people today?

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America