Daily Catholic Reflection: June 26, 2020, Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

2 Kings 25:1-12,

Psalm 137:1-2,3,4-5,6,

Matthew 8: 1-4 Full Readings

Josemaria Escriva or Blessed Raymond Lull

 Be cured

Yesterday, we finished our yearly reflection on the Sermon on the Mountain and today Jesus goes down the mountain being followed by the crowd to continue His mission. Before we move on to today's reflections, let's first evaluate ourselves on how we have been reflecting on the Sermon on Mount. How has the reflection on beatitudes changed your Christian way of living? What benefits have you got from reflecting on the Sermon on the Mount? How has it changed your Christian way of living? What is the role of the Sermon on the Mount in your life? You can reflect on many aspects of the sermon on the Mount and if you have not fully internalised it, revisit it and read it again.

After the first major teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount we embark on a series of ten wonders worked by Jesus, showing his healing work in action. The first group of three centres on the authority of Jesus (8.1-17, read today and tomorrow); the second on discipleship (8.18-9.17, read next week); the third (9.18-34) on the faith of the recipients.

The theme for this Reflection is what told the leper in today's Gospel when he cried to Jesus, "Lord if you wish you can make me clean." Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, "Of course I will...Be Cured."  This is the first miracle after the sermon on the mountain.

Beloved brethren, Leprosy was considered a dreaded disease, a living death with many sweeping implications in the time of Jesus. Anyone suffering from this disease was considered unclean and untouchable and thus an outcast. A leper had to wear torn clothes, let the hair of his head remain disheveled, and cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean’ (Lev 13:45). A leper was a dead man walking, shorn of all human dignity and was denied even a human touch. Anyone who touched a leper became unclean. However, the leper in today’s gospel dared to call out to Jesus crying not ‘unclean, unclean’ but he touching Jesus’ heart with his ‘faith-filled’ request: “If you will, you can make me clean.” Jesus immediately touches the untouchable and, healing him completely of his illness, makes him a follower.

Looking at the courage the leper had to ask Jesus for healing, it's amazing. Lepers were to be stoned if they could in any way touch or approach the Rabbi, but this leper had extraordinary courage to face Jesus and indeed he was healed. Sometimes we have sinned and we think our sins are many not to be forgiven, we think we can't approach Jesus and tell Him of our sins but this should not be the case for use after reflecting on today's Gospel. . Let's be encouraged by this leper to always gain courage to come to Jesus and ask for healing. 

Today there are many types of leprosy though they may not not be physical but spiritual and in our attitudes. Today we are invited to examine our lives and see which leprosy we are suffering from, and call on Jesus for help and he will surely heal for He is merciful and compassionate and can convene in any situation.

Jesus' attitude today towards a leper is very shocking and contradictory to the customs. A leper was not to be touched, not even communicating with him because of fear of being infected. More so they were considered unclean. But Jesus today shows what really brought Him on earth, to proclaim good news and bring salvation to the poor, abandoned, marginalised and people of a sort.  Jesus is very compassionate and loving and His love makes him fear nothing even if it is to break the law in order to save his people. 

This is how Jesus will do to us when we cry out to him for help. Reflect today on the courage of the leper to face Jesus and ask for healing? Do you have the same courage too? What is your leprosy which you want Jesus to heal? Pray for that healing today. 

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, I come to you today and cry for your healing both spiritually and physically, so that I may always proclaim your word. Amen

Be blessed