“Lord, I am not worthy…” is the prayer we say at every Mass.

“Lord, I am not worthy…” The statement of the Centurian becomes our Catholic prayer.

Lord, I am not worthy

that you should enter under my roof,

but only say the word

and my soul shall be healed.

During Mass, after the bread and wine are consecrated into Jesus’ body and blood, we say this prayer. Before we receive our Lord Jesus Christ, we say this prayer of humility, of faith and trust in God. Have you ever wondered where this prayer comes from?

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 8:5-13, we read of the Centurian asking Jesus to cure his serving boy who is sick at home. Jesus is ready to go to the Centurian’s home upon hearing his request, but Centurian refuses Jesus’ offer. “”Sir,” the centurion said in reply, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will get better.” The absolute, unwavering faith the man had in Jesus is remarkable. Jesus himself was amazed. “To the centurion Jesus said, “Go home. It shall be done because you trusted.” That very moment the boy got better.” The Bible passages are from Matthew 8:6 and 13.

This is the faith with which we need to approach Jesus in every aspect of our lives, not just when we receive Holy Communion, but every day of our lives. Jesus is ready to act to help us. He is ready to see our faith in Him manifested in our words and in our actions.

You may also like: God Shows His Love for us in the Eucharist, Prayer Before Communion, and Prayer after Communion. You can find a more detailed reflection on this passage at Catholic Daily Reflections.com.

If you are looking for more prayers to help you grow closer to our Lord you can find more in the Prayers section. There is also a section focused on Mass Prayers.