It's Time to Be Clean

GOSPEL READING: Mk 1: 40-45

A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you so will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration.” However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

There is a need to be cleansed interiorly and exteriorly. There is so much of dirt in us. The darkness we are groping in is not allowing us to seek healing from the Lord. Many of us don't even feel the need of healing and cleansing ourselves. We don't even have the inner courage to ask the Lord for cleansing. Many of us have been fare away from him and when struck down by bad things in life we run to him. He doesn't turn us away but welcomes and says "I Will". Today there is a different kind of Leprosy, leprosy of indifference and non-acceptance. There are so many who are cast out from our relationships. We don't even look at them because they don't belong to us....

We are willing to do anything for a charitable institute but not the one who is standing outside our house. He smiles and wishes us but we don't even look at their smile and hear the wishing. These are lepers whom we find everywhere developed and underdeveloped countries. Why isolate them when we belong to same race. We may be able to solve all their problems and grant them all that they need but can we not say hello to them. We forget that we too are lepers suffering from many serious kinds of leprosies. We too are separated from God because of our indifference and non acceptance of our brothers and sisters. we need healing so need to seek the Lord Jesus. We need to be courageous and cry out to him. He will extend his hands to heal and make us whole again.