...You Can Make Me Clean

In today's Gospel concerning the leper, it is natural to try to figure out who the lepers are around us today. Obviously those who suffer oppression and injustice, are socially mandated outside the wall, removed from the community.  But anytime a "blemish" appears, which causes fear and anxiety, we relegate those persons to the status of leper.

Just as all lepers of the Scripture did not suffer from Hanson Disease, so today's "lepers" are often not sick or diseased.  In my homily today I used the example of teenagers.  In this major transition of life, we react to their different lifestyle, rather than respond to their needs and concerns.

While the culture at the time mandated that lepers stay away from those who are clean, the leper today does not allow his affliction and brokenness to keep him away from Jesus.  Someone has told him about Jesus; they witnessed to what they had seen and heard.  So the leper is confident and unafraid to approach Jesus.  He does not allow his sickness, real or imposed, prohibit him from finding healing and peace in his life.

Change and transformation are important in order to find healing and unity in our lives, and in our society.  Sometimes we run up against a wall which tells us that, "we don't do things that way."  Our faith helps us understand that we are not our disease, affliction, or social standing.  Jesus has pity on the leper, recognizing that he is a Child of God.  To be sure we have been formed out of clay, but as God breathes life into us, we have worth and values in life.  More so because of what the Lord has done for us we have the ability to reach out to the saving power of God.

We begin the Mass acknowledging  that indeed we are all unclean.  But we also faithfully admit that the Word of God made flesh can and does bring us healing and peace.  We approach our God full of faith and hope, making the lepers prayer our own - "If you will to do so, you can make me clean."  Amen.