Friday, 26th June 2020

Collect

Lord Jesus Christ, you tell us not to be afraid: challenge us to abandon ourselves, encourage us to risk the sacrifice that we may find the abundant life you promise; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the unity of the Blessed trinity, one God, for ever and ever ourselves. Amen.

Eucharist Readings:

2 Kings 25:1-12         Psalm 137:1-6         Matthew 8:1-4

‘Sir, if only you will, you can make me clean, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean’.

In earlier years when diagnosed with leprosy the leper was absolutely banished from society. In the middle ages, if a person became a leper, the priest threw on his stole and took his crucifix, brought the person into the church and read the burial service over him. For all human purposes, the person was dead.

This is part of a selection of Jesus’ miracles. Matthew is telling the stories very briefly but focus his attention on Jesus himself. The fact that Jesus touched a leper was a powerful demonstration of his willingness to put loving concerns above social taboo. The command to show yourself to the priest and make the offering laid down by the law of Moses to certify the cure (Lev.14:1-32 required) served as a testimony. Testimony about Jesus ‘respect for the law and of his healing power as the Messiah. The instruction and the command from Jesus to the leper not to tell anyone reminds us of attracting popular enthusiasm for the wrong reasons.

Yet the man went to tell and through that crowd still gathered to follow Jesus. The fact that the man went to broadcast, does it mean that he was disobedient towards Jesus or was he just excited to be healed? (Something to ponder about), because this was someone who were cast out, could not stay in town, except for the rejection of the community, this was someone who already received the death sentence. Also, apart from being an outcast, the physical condition that he had to endured was terrible. Jesus ordered him to be silent about the healing because Jesus had to educate peoples minds and to enable them to see that his power was love and not forces of arms. Jesus had to work in secrecy until people knew him for what he was. People had to be silent until they had learned the right things to say about Jesus.

The following is standing out in this passage about the man. He came to Jesus with determination and confidence. He did not doubt that Jesus could cure him. For him there was still hope. Also he went to Jesus in humility , he did not demand from Jesus to cure him , neither did he assume that Jesus will cure him , the focus is on the way he approached Jesus and asked him, ‘Sir, If you will, you can cleanse me’. Maybe this person’s self -esteem was very low due to the action of other people ,  how he was treated , he was used to be rejected and therefore by the way he conducted himself he felt that he did not  deserve this. But it is the humble heart, which is conscious of nothing, but its need finds its way to Christ.