Leprosy, a bacterial skin infection, was a dreaded disease in ancient times. It would begin with mild symptoms but soon spread, leading to the decay of the victim's limbs and a noxious odor.
In the past, people with leprosy were ostracized and excluded from society. They had to live in isolation, away from healthy people, and were not allowed to come within 100 yards of them. They had to shout "Unclean, unclean!" to warn others of their presence. The disease was believed to be a sign of God's...
Leprosy, a bacterial skin infection, was a dreaded disease in ancient times. It would begin with mild symptoms but soon spread, leading to the decay of the victim's limbs and a noxious odor.
In the past, people with leprosy were ostracized and excluded from society. They had to live in isolation, away from healthy people, and were not allowed to come within 100 yards of them. They had to shout "Unclean, unclean!" to warn others of their presence. The disease was believed to be a sign of God's punishment, and anyone who came in contact with a leper was considered unclean as well. This led to a slow and painful death for many lepers.
When Jesus healed the leper by touching him, it was not just another miracle. It was a revelation of Christ's mission to redeem and save humankind. He came into this fallen and sinful world to cleanse it and offer a new beginning through the power of his mercy and grace.
Jesus was all-powerful. Sometimes, in the Gospels, He performs a miracle simply with a word or even an unspoken desire. He didn't have to touch this leper, and in fact, it was against Jewish law to touch him. A word or a wave of His hand would have sufficed. Yet, Jesus makes a point of touching him. Jesus goes beyond what is strictly necessary to show us His love and mercy are super-abundant.
Jesus touched the leper out of compassion for all of us. He understands that it can be difficult for us to trust and approach Him with our wounds, sins, weaknesses, and failures. However, He wants to make it easier for us by demonstrating that He is much greater than all of these things. He desires to extend forgiveness, salvation, and a new beginning to us as often as we require it, if only we allow Him to do so.
It can be challenging for us to follow the example of Christ. However, it is the only way to attain spiritual maturity, which leads to wisdom, meaning, and joy. Knowing why it is difficult for us is a crucial step towards making it easier. There are at least two reasons for this.
The first comes from original sin.
We live in a fallen world and suffer from a fallen human nature. And so we have a built-in tendency to be self-centered instead of self-forgetful.
The second reason is the culture in which we live.
In our consumerist culture, people's worth is often measured by their possessions or abilities, rather than their character. This is the cause of what was referred to as the "culture of death" by Saint John Paul II. Instead of valuing wisdom, love, and holiness as God does, we tend to measure success by material possessions, physical appearance, popularity, comfort, or job status.
Is it possible to follow Christ's example despite the pull of consumer culture and our fallen nature?
Of course! Jesus Himself is our hope. He dwells in every Christian heart, redeeming our fallen nature and strengthening us against evil influences.
He will come to us again in the Holy Eucharist in a few moments to share his very life. When He does, let's promise that this week, we will put that life to good use by doing our part to treat others as Christ has treated us.
