A TOUCH THAT RESTORES THE CONTAGIOUS



First Reading:
Lev 13:1-2, 44-46
Second Reading: 1 Cor 10:31--11:1
Gospel: Mk 1:40-45

We are in the sixth Sunday of ordinary Time. Last Sunday we saw how Jesus’ healing touch moved Mother-in-law of Simon Peter to enter into a service for others. Encounter with Christ is the fundamental for all Christian philanthropy, altruism, charity and service. In today’s Gospel the touch of Jesus brings harmony in the religious and social life of the person. The leper approaches Jesus to get cleansed, to become pure and clean (Mk 1:40). The intention of the leper is not just a healing from that virulent disease but cleansing. The first reading taken from the book of Leviticus gives a glimpse of the life of a leper in Israel. In those day, limited medical resources pushed the lepers to be away from society. However, we cannot reduce this contagious sickness to be mere bodily ailment. There was a spiritual attribution to leprosy in Israel. The Lord declares that leprous man as unclean (Lev 13:44). God who is source of all health and wellness, relates physical ailments to spiritual deterioration! Thus, there is much more than a physical illness. The man with leprosy suffers spiritual alienation too. To be away from village – society – is to be away from partaking in common religious worship. Lepers are not allowed to visit synagogues, attend prayer services, partake in temple sacrifices and so forth. In this context, the suffering of a leper is much more than physical; s/he is physically separated from the society, psychologically alienated from human dignity and spiritually distanced from God. The life of a leper is like life without any meaning.

The approach of leper to Jesus is a daring one, as he violates the Old Testament law to be away from the crowd. He instead of shouting “unclean, unclean” (Lev 13:45) asks for cleansing (Mk 1:40). Jesus reaches out to Him through a touch. (Mk 1:41). This shows the opening of new era with the coming of Jesus, the Old Testament law is replaced by the loving touch of Jesus. The suffering humanity has gained a physician in Jesus. He is the restorer of humanity both from physical and spiritual ailments. The healing of Jesus effects harmony in the life of that leper. The healed man is restored to the society and is now made worthy to enter the temple and offer his sacrifice. Thus, reconciliation with people and God. In the Old Testament too we witness the healing of leprosy of Miriam by Moses (Num 12) and Naaman by Elisha (2 Ki 5:1-15), yet those healings were done without any human touch. Contrarily, the healing in the New Testament are associated with touch. Jesus performs most of the healing through touch. No wonder why James insists on inviting the elders – now priests – to pray over the sick, anoint him/her with the oil, meaning to say laying hands on the sick or touch the sick to effect healing (Jas 5:14). The healing can be both physical wellness and spiritual restoration (Jas 5:15). Touch gives comfort to a person. It gives strengthen to a sufferers. Imagine a tight or warm hug given to a person at the time of great loss or tragedy. Will that not make the person fell that we are with him/her? Will that touch not bring order to his/her life in that moment of chaos? Yes, physical touch restores person psychologically and physically. Whereas, the spiritual touch – a touch by an anointed one or a charismatic person - gives spiritual healing. We are called to give that touch no matter whether it effects physical or psychological or spiritual.

Today, the beauty of touch has lost its significance as the evil has entered into its space. The prevalent of bad touch and sexual distortion prevents us from giving healing to a person through a touch. Yes, it is a challenge today. Nevertheless, we need to restore the beauty of touch with daring attitude. In the second reading, St. Paul invites us to do whatever we do for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). When there is a proper intention, then our touch becomes holy and healing oriented. As St. Paul says that his works are not for his advantage but for the sake or the recipients of his message (1 Cor 10:33), our intention and will in the touch should be focused on giving healing to the sufferer. May we engage in the culture of reaching out to the contagious with proper intentions. If we are contagious with sin, may we imitate the daring attitude of the leper to approach Jesus with humility. May God bless you all!

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