The Case of the Lepers: Shouts of Joy (Daily Gospel Book 2)

Introduction
This is the second installment of the Daily Gospel series. The purpose of the Daily Gospel is to introduce timely topics from the Gospel, which integrate critical values we face in the digital age. The purpose of this series is to introduce timely topics from the Gospel, which integrate critical values we face in the digital age.The Daily Gospel series follows the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar and seeks to offer small portions of the Gospel on a daily basis. The Daily Gospel has been at the heart of the Catholic Church for many centuries, but we have now entered a digital age. This has not changed the desire the faithful have for listening to the Gospel, but only the medium by which they find the word of God and apply it to their lives. This series of reflections dedicated to the Daily Gospel as given to us by the Catholic Church by the Bishops is hoped to be another means that the faithful can retrieve the Gospel thru various electronic media: Kindle, iPhone, tablets and iPad.


A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. (Mk. 1:40-42)

Jesus reaches out his hand and touches the lepers and invites those who are rich in self-knowledge to not fear exposing their weaknesses and powerlessness to his divine strength and power.

A leper approaches Jesus. Perhaps this leper had heard about Jesus from others and heard of his miracles or perhaps it was just a spur of the moment. Regardless, the leper made an act of faith in Jesus and asked Jesus “If you can.” The leper had confidence in Jesus, but also phrased his question in such a way so that Jesus would not feel pressured. In other words, the leper was not demanding a miracle from Jesus, but only Jesus’ attention.

Jesus responded with the usual charity he has shown from the beginning of his ministry and relieved the leper of his ailment. The point here is that we must not allow ourselves to forget that Jesus became man to identify with us all, except in sin. Jesus’ many healing’s would be his sign of compassion for humanity for centuries to come and until he returned at the end of time. Can you think of a more profound sign of compassion than to heal someone of their deformity. Leprosy was a problem during the time of Jesus and those who were leaps weren’t able to mix with other people in society because they were stigmatized by society as being noxious and diseased. Along comes, Jesus and he embrace them and makes them whole again.

What happens when you are healed of your external infirmities but still remain a distance from God in your heart? Jesus quietly acquiesced to the leper’s request and healed him. There were no forms to fill out or insurance card to check. Jesus didn’t have his disciples to verify the leper’s insurance holder and see what ways he could pay for the healing. No, Jesus simply healed him. Of course, today we need our medical systems and so on, but during the time of Jesus there were no such luxuries. If you had leprosy, you would stay a leper unless God healed you.