“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters In Christ:

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:12-16 It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus heals a man with Leprosy. In the time of Jesus, leprosy was a disease of uncleanliness. People inflicted with this disease slowly rotted away and the disease ate the body. One was not suppose to touch or associate with people who had this disease. The Jews considered these people already dead and cast out of society. In the story the leper fell on his face in front of Jesus begging for mercy and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man saying, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The uncleanliness of the leper was washed away and he was healed. We too are afflicted with things that make our souls unclean. All we have to do is humble ourselves before God and ask for his forgiveness. Jesus will reach out and touch us and purify us. As we approach the Lenten season over the next several weeks, we should strive to purify our souls. We should humble ourselves before God and ask, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus demonstrated the purest form of love and compassion for the Leper by reaching out to him and touching him. Lent is all about love, forgiveness and sacrifice, about reaching out to God and reaching out to others. We too can experience this love by abandoning ourselves to God. As we learn to receive the love and compassion of God, we must also learn to give love and compassion to others.

There is a second part to today’s Gospel which is much more subtle. The readings says that when the people heard, great crowds settled around him. The hustle and bustle of the people must have made it difficult for Jesus to pray to his Father. He would withdraw to deserted places to pray. We too can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of world and it can become very difficult to pray. We must set aside time to be alone in a deserted place so we can empty ourselves to God. We must be willing to withdraw and find time alone. During this time, you can open your heart to God and abandon your ailments. You can give up all your afflictions to God. Take this time of solitude to purify your heart and your mind. Recharge yourself to be able to face the hustle and bustle of the world.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, if you will, make me clean.

Purify my heart and soul so I can receive you more fully.

Help me to abandon the things that make me unclean.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon