Christ the Cornerstone

Lord’s healing touch can unite us, heal our wounds

The Gospel reading for next weekend (Mk 1:40–45), the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, describes one of many instances where Jesus cures a man suffering from leprosy, a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities.

According to St. Mark: “A leper came to Jesus 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. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once” (Mk 1:40-43).

Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is relatively rare today, but where it occurs it spreads by airborne respiratory droplets (coughs or sneezes) and must be treated by medical professionals to prevent serious illness and death. In Jesus’ time, and until very recently, there was no cure for this horrible disease, which is why men, women and children with leprosy were isolated from the rest of society.

Although the stories of Jesus curing lepers are familiar to us, their impact is surely greater now that we have all experienced the horrors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When we first encountered this modern-day plague more than a year ago, there was no cure. Isolation, masks and frequent sanitizing of our hands and everything we touch was the only hope we had of avoiding contact with this potentially lethal disease. Now, vaccines are available and they are slowly being made available to all, but the original cautionary measures continue to be vitally important to public health and safety here in the U.S. and throughout the world.

As a result of the current pandemic, we can better understand the significance of Jesus’ simple, but powerful, actions. By reaching out and touching the leper, he was violating a strict taboo. In his compassion for the man’s suffering, Jesus employed the healing power of God and affirmed the man’s faith: “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mk 1:40).

However, there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Why does Jesus immediately dismiss the newly cured leper, “sternly warning him”? (Mk 1:43) Why does he say, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them”? (Mk 1:44)

We should have a better understanding today of the importance of following mandatory protocols in dealing with deadly, contagious diseases. Jesus is willing to step outside the norm to effect the man’s cure, but he insists that the proper procedures for certifying that he is “clean,” and therefore able to return to everyday life, be strictly followed. Then, as now, the protocols for ensuring public safety were vitally important no matter how irritating or inconvenient they may have seemed.

Of course, St. Mark tells us that in his excitement the newly cured man ignored Jesus’ stern warning “and began to publicize the whole matter” (Mk 1:45). The result of this created problems for Jesus. As we read in this Sunday’s Gospel, the man “spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere” (Mk 1:45).

In our cynicism, we may be tempted to quote the old saying, “No good deed goes unpunished,” but in reality this incident in the life of Jesus should remind us that, while our reactions often have unintended, unwelcome consequences, God’s grace is sufficient to overcome every difficulty. Jesus was prevented from entering the neighboring towns, but people came out to him any way. He touched them, and their hearts, minds and bodies were healed.

God knows that, especially in this moment of time, our nation and our world are sorely in need of Jesus’ healing touch.

Let’s do everything we can to bring kindness and compassion into situations where resentment and division are festering. Let’s pray that our nation’s leaders, and all of us, will put into practice Jesus’ command that we should love each other, forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Even while observing the protocols of social distancing, let’s touch one another’s lives with acts of simple kindness and generosity.

Let’s heal the wounds caused by social unrest, economic hardship and political differences. Let’s come together as sisters and brothers in Christ by setting aside our differences and working together to build communities of justice and peace.

May the Lord’s healing touch unite us and heal all our wounds.

St. Joseph, patron of the Church, pray for us. †