by Mr. Carlos D'Souza
Mark 1:41
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"
Matthew 8:3
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
Luke 5:13
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him
Mark 1: 40-45
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. 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.
There were two kinds are leprosy prevailing
1. a bad skin disease and
2. the other type of leprosy was a disease starting with a small spot, eating away the flesh and slowly resulting into the death of the person. This kind of leprosy was fatal.
A person suffering from leprosy was declared "unclean". He was cut off from the society and had to live in isolation outside the camp. He had to wear torn clothes (rags) and let the hair of his head be disheveled. His upper lip had to be covered. He could not make his appearance in public. Whenever, the people saw a leper they would flee from that spot and avoid any sort of contact with him. Wherever the leper went he had to cry "unclean", "unclean". It was a kind of a warning to those around to run away from that place. If no such warning was given by the leper, he stood the risk of being stoned by the public. This was the way he would be driven away from their midst. He was despised and rejected by all even by his own near and dear ones. He was hated by all. Such kind of a hate eventually made the leper hate himself. He was a social outcast.
Yet, we can admire this leper for his attitude:
- He was a man of courage. Given his physical condition and the attitude of the people towards a leper, he had the courage to come into the presence of Jesus. He was not afraid of the risk he faced of being stoned by the crowd for coming in their midst. What mattered most to him was that he was coming into the Presence of Jesus. He was not bothered nor did he care as to what the reaction of the crowd would be. This is something we can learn from the leper. We are so concerned about public opinion. What will people say about me? What will people think about me?. We do things very often to please men rather than God. We seek approval and appreciation from men and act accordingly even if we have to displease God and deny ourselves the opportunity of coming into His presence.
- He had faith. He believed that Jesus would not reject or despise him. He was convinced that Jesus would heal him and restore him to perfect health. He had such confidence which was unshakable in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was helpless he was not hopeless. He was a man of tremendous faith. What about us when we are in a helpless and a hopeless situation in life. Many a times we feel lost, down and out, defeated and totally exhausted. Our faith gives way to fear and doubts and our lives are filled with anxieties. Like the leper we need to be people of faith and hope. We need to hope against hope.
- He came with reverence before the Lord on his knees. He who kneels before the Lord can stand firmly before anybody. He thus acknowledges who Jesus is and shows his respect for Jesus. His posture also shows that he came with a humble and a contrite heart and a broken spirit. His body as it was, was already broken and full of wounds. God is on the look out for such a person. He who is humble and contrite in spirit and one who trembles at His Word. (Isaiah 66:2). For a broken and a contrite heart O God you will not despise. (Psalms 51:17)
- He comes with his need praying in accordance to the Will of God. - "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean". His attitude is absolutely amazing. He did not demand the healing. He did not command the Lord to grant fulfillment of his need. He did not order the Lord around. He simply submitted himself to the Lord and was prepared to live on with the leprosy if the Lord wanted it that way for him. He was totally resigned to doing the will of God. Mary has given us an example when she told the Angel Gabriel "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to thy word" (Luke 1: 38). Jesus himself prayed in accordance with His Father's will. "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will, but your will be done" (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus' reaction to the attitude and approach of the leper is highly to be admired
- Jesus is moved with pity for the leper. This is in contrast to the hate and the scorn others had towards the leper. The people distanced themselves and avoided any sort of contact with the lepers. They would withdraw and shrink from them. Jesus on the other hand reaches out and touches the leper and heals him.
- Jesus does not bypass the law of Moses. He tells the leper to go and show himself to the priest and offer the gift that was needed for the purification ceremony. Jesus therefore observed both the letter and the spirit of the law. The Jews were only keen on observing the letter of the law
- Jesus is not interested in self glory, fame and popularity something which the Pharisees were craving for and who always desired attention, best seats at banquets and salutations in the market place. Jesus did not want the people to follow Him because of the signs and wonders He worked but because of who He was. The Son of God. Hence he tells the leper now cleansed to tell no one about the cure
The leper sets off to show himself to the priest and also begins to proclaim freely the wonders Jesus has done in his life and to spread the word. What a sense of gratitude the leper had. Being touched and healed he could not help keeping quiet but was bubbling with enthusiasm and joy which he desired to spread.
We are cleansed by the waters of our Baptism and we have received the Good News of our Salvation and Redemption. We have experienced the healing touch of Jesus in our lives and so just like the leper we need to proclaim the wonders the Lord Jesus has worked in our live and to spread the Word (Good News)