“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” — Epictetus.
The Gospel today prompts us to have a double reaction: “Amazing!” and “How sad!”
This is quite an extraordinary story not just because it is a healing story, and at that, a multiple healing. It is extraordinary because of the content.
In this story, lepers are healed, and outcasts are healed. Rarely has this been heard of.
Exceptions were Miriam and Naaman; other than that, healing a leper had not taken place in Israel for 700 years. It was seen as a sign of Messianic times.
Like the dead, lepers were untouchable. To touch one meant you had to go the priest to be ritually cleansed or purified.
But leprosy and other skin diseases were serious. They were highly contagious; contact with lepers was something to be strictly avoided.
Lepers would be forced to leave their communities. They would then form small communities of “infected” who would depend on the kindness and mercy of good and faithful people.
When Jesus walked by, the lepers did not cry out for healing, just for mercy.
Food? Clothes? Money? Kindness? Clearly, they wanted something, but anything merciful would be more than they might get from most.
Jesus told them to go to the priest; the implication was to be declared clean, which would mean that they had been healed.
They heard him. They trusted. They went. But the healing was not immediate.
Along the way, they realized they were cleansed. No doubt they were ecstatic. Now they could return to their true communities and their own families.
What we hear about is a story of physical healing. But for at least one, another healing — a deeper healing — takes place.
In addition to the physical healing, this one leper (a foreigner) experiences gratitude deep within his spirit. This one recognizes that God has done great things in and for him. This was not luck. This was not just “being in the right place at the right time.” This was not just getting one’s life back in order.
This was a visitation of God. This was God’s power working through Jesus. This was a moment of great faith. This was an irrevocable touch from the almighty that restored a man to fullness and gave him back his life.
The healing — which is always deeper and greater — was healing of his spirit. Deep within, this man found God, felt God, experienced God, and now truly knew God.
Because of all of that he was grateful to God.
“Amazing!” “How Wonderful!” And … “How Sad!” that the deepest miracle was experienced only by one.
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at perry.leiker@gmail.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
