Life sometimes is quite strange!

>> Often, when things go all well and it seems that everything is fine…disasters strike in life.

This is an experience of many of us in our lives.

Think of a man who is in his early thirties…

He has a wonderful wife, with two lovely children.

>> It’s a home with lot of joy and happiness…

One day, the man comes back home after work – he is a mason.

On coming back, he informs his wife of a tiny sore that has been nagging him for sometime

>> This sore had turned a bit reddish after the heavy days of work.

With much insistence and persuasion by the wife, the man agrees to show it to a doctor.

After the initial check up, the doctor tells them:

“Well, the sore certainly has grown a bit. I have some of my initial observations, but I need to work on them still.

>> Why don’t you stay up here in the hospital for a few days, so that I can further examine?”

And so they agree.

As days pass, the sore gets more infectious.

The doctor, now is ready with his well-studied and examined decision…” I am sorry to inform you…

… but you are infected with… Leprosy!!”

Hearing this, the man is terrified.

Leprosy, he knew, was not just an ordinary sickness.

>> It was a slow death sentence – distanced from family, distanced from society, distanced from self!

Imagine that situation of the happy living family!

The man is now to leave his wife and children; his land and work;

… He is to go and live with people who were afflicted with a similar disease.

>> This was the law of the land.

>> This was the regulation practised in this area.

The Law required the lepers to keep as far away from all healthy people as possible.

>> Whenever someone drew near who did not have leprosy, the leper was supposed to shout, “Unclean! Unclean!”

So, with a heavy heart and a crushed spirit, the man leaves his loving wife and two children.

>> He goes off alone… to rot!

>> He goes off alone… to die!

He couldn’t even have an animal for a companion.

>> If he touched even a dog, the dog had to be killed so that it did not carry the disease back into the city.

Life as a leper was just too horrible and miserable!

>> Life sometimes is indeed quite strange!

The Gospel of the Day presents one such leper…

… A man who was “full of leprosy” ( Lk 5:12)

One fine day, however, this leper looks up and sees a small group of people following a Man.

That man, the leader, he comes to know.. is Jesus.

The leper has heard about Jesus.

>> He would wish to hear Him.

But the Law did not permit to go close!

As the group passes their way, this leper man remembers what the Law taught Him..

>> And he begins to shout, “Unclean! Unclean! I have leprosy! Stay away from me! Unclean!”

But then a strange thing happens!!

Jesus keeps coming closer to him.

His shouts increases… louder goes his cries…”Unclean, Unclean!”

>> But Jesus keeps coming closer and closer… till He has reached the leper man!

The leper man has now been afflicted for many years.

He misses his family very deeply.

>> He knows he is at the edge of life… undergoing a slow death!

But…

… Before him, now stands, Someone, who he has heard, has tremendous power!

… Before him, now stands, Someone, who he has heard, can unshackle any bondage!

And so, with tears filling his eyes and dread filling his shocked face, he asks, ” Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean!” (Lk 5:12)

>> It was a cry of agony.

>> It was a wail of immense anguish.

He had suffered much.

>> He had been separated from loved ones for long.

Now he wanted a deliverance.

>> He wanted freedom from the captivity.

>>> He wanted a wholesome life in his loathsome existence!

And then comes the spectacular words of Jesus: “I do Will. Be clean!” (Lk 5:13)

The Lord touches him!

>> His body was touched!

>> His heart was healed!

>> His soul was cleansed!

Life was restored! Happiness was returned!

Do you and me also feel sometimes like a leper?

>> Situations of happiness being snatched away?

>> Moments of love and affection being afflicted?

>> Times of joy, serenity and calmness being affected?

Unloved? Rejected? Despised? Abused? Helpless? Hopeless? Dying?

We may be going through hard times…

>> We may feel that life is unfair to us…

>> We may feel that existence is meaningless…

But…

… The Lord wants to restore us!

… He wants to make us whole again!

>> Life is strange…

… but the Power of the Lord is more strong!

>> Life is complicated…

… but the Grace of the Lord is more compelling!

The Lord is here to touch us!

>> Lets stretch out to Him…

… our hands!

… our hearts!

… our lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “During the night we must wait for the light.”

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