Hi everyone.

Welcome back to the Daily Gospel Exegesis podcast, where we do a verse by verse exegesis

of the gospel reading that you would hear at today's mass. So we're really getting

into the literal sense of the text. When you study the Bible, the Catholic teaching is you have to

start with the literal sense first. What did the original author mean in the original context?

What did particular words mean? How did the original audience understand what they were reading?

And then, of course, after that, you can build on a spiritual sense in some of the texts.

But you always have to start with the literal sense of the text.

And that's what this podcast is trying to do, helping you understand the literal sense of the text.

So today's gospel reading at Mass is Luke chapter 7

verses 1 to 10. And here's what it says. When Jesus had come to the end of all he wanted the

people to hear, he went into Copernum. A centurion there had a servant, a favorite of his,

who was sick and near death.

Having heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and heal his servant.

When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him.

He deserves this of you, they said, because he is friendly towards our people.

In fact, he is the one who built the synagogue. So Jesus went with them and was not very far from

the house when the centurion sent word to him by some friends. Sir, he said, do not put yourself to trouble, because I am not worthy to have

you under my roof, and for this same reason I did not presume to come to you myself, but give the

word and let my servant be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me, and I say to one man, go and he goes,

to another, come here and he comes.

To my servant, do this, and he does it.

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