Surely today's gospel story is well known. What does it mean for you even though you have heard it many times? What does it speak to you about yourself ... more than it does about the leper seeking the healing touch of Jesus?
Recall these two facts of community life at the time Jesus was going about teaching. First, a leper was first and foremost an outcast of the community. He/she was forbidden mingle in the community of healthy people. His asking Jesus to heal his body was a wrong! Perhaps it was for this reason that the leper asks Jesus "if you wish ... you can heal me." He had crossed the social barrier. Second, for Jesus to speak with the leper and to touch him was also a moment that was frowned up by the community. As some would say, this is a radical break with the rules of the road.
The leper's request of Jesus is simply this: a genuine act of faith. Consequences, hopes and fears had to be alive in the leper's heart. Nevertheless, he was strong enough to ask for the healing.
And you? And me? What should we glean from this event for our lives? How strong is my faith? How many times do we just try to accomplish things on our own ... without any recourse to Jesus? If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that it is only when we are in a fourth down and inches to go to win a football game, only then do we start the petitions to the Lord.
Perhaps our modern way of doing things has forced us to construct our own walls that keep us from turning to the Lord from the outset.
Can you let the leper be a teacher, an instructor in your life? Jesus offers us that opportunity once again. He surrounds us with so many opportunities to let him help us. Yet, we are like the whitish line in the gorgeous lake waters I once discovered in Canada. Just look at the lake for a few moments: see how the calm and peaceful blue wants to take over the independent streak of clouded water.
Recall these two facts of community life at the time Jesus was going about teaching. First, a leper was first and foremost an outcast of the community. He/she was forbidden mingle in the community of healthy people. His asking Jesus to heal his body was a wrong! Perhaps it was for this reason that the leper asks Jesus "if you wish ... you can heal me." He had crossed the social barrier. Second, for Jesus to speak with the leper and to touch him was also a moment that was frowned up by the community. As some would say, this is a radical break with the rules of the road.
The leper's request of Jesus is simply this: a genuine act of faith. Consequences, hopes and fears had to be alive in the leper's heart. Nevertheless, he was strong enough to ask for the healing.
And you? And me? What should we glean from this event for our lives? How strong is my faith? How many times do we just try to accomplish things on our own ... without any recourse to Jesus? If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that it is only when we are in a fourth down and inches to go to win a football game, only then do we start the petitions to the Lord.
Perhaps our modern way of doing things has forced us to construct our own walls that keep us from turning to the Lord from the outset.
Can you let the leper be a teacher, an instructor in your life? Jesus offers us that opportunity once again. He surrounds us with so many opportunities to let him help us. Yet, we are like the whitish line in the gorgeous lake waters I once discovered in Canada. Just look at the lake for a few moments: see how the calm and peaceful blue wants to take over the independent streak of clouded water.
