Sr. Dr. Bincy Thumpanathu CMC
READING: “A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.” (Mark 1:40-45).
REFLECTION: We have read that Jesus’ cleansing of a leper! The compassion of Jesus is amazing that which made him draw near to the leper who was in utter pain and utmost necessity. The book of Leviticus portrays the pathetic picture of a leper on Moses’ days: “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘unclean! unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp” (Lev 13:45-46). They were not only the victims of disease, but they were rejected and marginalized physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually.
Jesus, the new Moses, wanted to give new life to the leper. Jesus came, to give life and to give it abundantly (Jn10:10). The episode of the healing of the leper takes place in three brief phases: The leper ‘beseeches Jesus, kneeling, and cries to Him’: “If you will, you can make me clean.” This is a beautiful prayer one can raise before to God every day, because Jesus responded to this humble and trusting prayer immediately. Normally this was prohibited because anyone touching a leper would become unclean. In this case, the opposite happens, the leper becomes clean. Jesus chooses the marginalized and those who are rejected by all. Jesus, through his words, his actions, and his entire person reveals the mercy of God. We need to contemplate constantly to realize the great mystery of mercy.
Pope Francis urges the believers, not only to welcome and reinstate all those who knock at the door with evangelical courage, but to go out and seek fearlessly and without prejudice, those who are distant and marginalized. In other words, sharing freely what we ourselves received freely. Because whoever says: ‘I abide in Christ, ought to walk just as he walked (1 Jn 2:6). Total openness to serving others is the hallmark of the followers of Christ; it is our only title of honour.
PRAYER: Dear God, touch and cleanse my heart, and make it like your heart. Touch and cleanse my mind, that it may be conformed to your mind. Touch and cleanse my whole life, that I may be ever more open to receive your love, and to give it back. Lord, grant me the grace to serve you in every person who is emarginated, for whatever reason. Help me to see you in every excluded person who encounters discrimination, who is sick -whether in body or soul- hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned, unemployed, and persecuted. Enable me to see the Lord present even in those who have lost their faith, or turned away from the love of Christ.
CONTEMPLATION: Let us observe in a moment of silence, and think about our own situations. Look intently within ourselves, and see our own impurities, our own sins. In silence, but with the voice of our heart, cry to Jesus: “If you will, you can make me clean”. Let us all do so in silence for few seconds. “If you will, you can make me clean….if you will, you can make me clean….if you will, you can make me clean.” Try to hear the tender voice of the Lord as well: “I will; be clean….I will; be clean….be clean.” Experience the merciful love of Jesus and his healing embrace. Let us be infected by goodness and let us spread goodness!
ACTION: • Do favours to those people who are in need of assistance
(eg: the mentally ill, the homeless, the addicted, the immigrant, the deformed, handicapped etc.)
