“Let’s extend to the Lord our hands… our hearts… our lives… so that He can touch us!”
(Based on 1 Jn 5:5-13 and Lk 5:12-16 – Friday after Epiphany)
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 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 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!
Let’s extend to Him our hands.. our hearts.. our lives…!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
PROFESSING OUR FAITH IN OUR GOOD GOD – OUR REDEEMER AND SANCTIFIER
Those who belong to Christ through faith and Baptism, must confess their baptismal faith before men.
Reflection Capsules 
Excellent reflections.very creative and easy to understand.one request if u post reflections previous day around 7 clock next day we can make use of this resource in sermon. So it will reach many.
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