A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 8:1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
In Matthew, we meet the leper. He was once young and healthy. He was free and accepted by all. Then he contracted leprosy. He was separated from his family and was forced to deal with guilt, stress and isolation. He was an outcast of society. He was regarded as already dead.
When he approached Jesus, it was with respect, paying Him homage. And with humility and temerity asked, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean". The leper left everything to the Lord, his recovery solely depended on Jesus.
And without hesitation, Jesus said, “I will do it. Be made clean”. And he was miraculously healed by His word and His touch. Jesus bore his disease.
Leprosy is the biblical image of spiritual disfigurement of sin. It symbolizes the vicious deformation sin introduces to our soul. As with leprosy, it starts eating up the soul, eventually leaving it dead.
We all are lepers. Jesus is standing by us, waiting for that same petition to make us clean. The truth is that throughout our lives we will have need to ask Jesus to make us beautiful over and over again. Beautiful and ready for heaven.
Pray for the grace to put our lives completely in the Lord's hands.
God Bless You
