FRIDAY AFTER EPIPHANY JANUARY 7, 2022

MASS READINGS

A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 5:12-16

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

REFLECTION

when he saw Jesus,

he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Leprosy was a feared illness. There was no treatment in Jesus's time. Lepers lived outside of society and had to work hard to find a place to stay and obtain food. That was the law.

The leper had heard of Jesus as he recognized Him. He humbled himself by prostrating and pleading for a normal life. Jesus willed it and cleansed him from his illness. Only Jesus was able to cure him.

Along the way to present himself to the officials, he told everyone about Jesus. He spread the news to all, especially, to those who did not know Him or might have forgotten Him. And great crowds followed Jesus.

Is that not what we are supposed to do? Tell our family, our neighbors, the whole world what God has done for us and how our lives have changed? We might have been deep in selfishness, pride, lust, greed, bitterness, jealousy to name a few sins and Jesus heard our cries, and our tears and cured us. We witness this everytime we go to confession. Only Jesus can cure the maladies of the soul.

It is up to us to spread the Great News of God, made man, who came to redeem and heal us.

God Bless You