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Gospel: Matthew 8: 1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it. Be made clean.”
His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one,
but go show yourself to the priest,
and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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After the fall of the Romanian dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, in 1989, numerous orphanages were opened to the world’s eyes. Thousands of children were discovered after having lived for years in unimaginable conditions.
Many were so neglected they could not relate to others. They could not speak. They could not give or receive affection. Psychologists believed these children’s inability to relate to other people was the result of being denied the gift of human touch… for most of their life.
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In today’s Gospel, a leper falls at the feet of Jesus after years of neglect. The curse of leprosy was not only physical; it was also psychological, spiritual, and emotional. Lepers were forced to separate themselves from the rest of humanity.
According to Jewish Law, they had to keep their hair disheveled, wear a bell around their neck, and whenever another person neared, they’d have to shout, “Unclean! Unclean!”
I wonder how long it had been since this poor leper experienced the gift of human touch. A year? Two years? Ten?
Imagine going just a month without a hug, a handshake, or a pat on your back.
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Suddenly, this leper’s luck changes. He spots Jesus off in the distance. Barreling through the crowds like a bowling ball, he throws himself down, and in a stunning display of faith says, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Notice his confidence and his humility. He doesn’t doubt the Lord’s power to heal, but he doesn’t demand it either; he simply begs for Jesus to heal him.
The Lord could’ve done so simply with the power of his voice. But Jesus kneels down and touches him, ending that awful streak of human neglect, revealing the Lord’s love for humanity, even in our “uncleanliness.”
This foreshadows what Jesus will do for all of humanity when he takes our sins upon himself, dying on a cross.
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So, what does this all mean?
There is no limit to the Lord’s compassion, certainly for the sick, the suffering, and the neglected. And part of our mission as Christians is to embody that same divine love, extending it to others.
So, how might I be an agent of compassion and healing today?
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Image credits: (1) Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo (2) Bible Teaching Notes (3) Heal – Word for Life Says