"Lord, you can make me clean"
Friday after Epiphany
Reading 1 1 JN 5:5-13
Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia SEE MT 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 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.
MEDITATION 1: Bro. Schwager
Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? No one who sought Jesus out was refused his help. Even the untouchables and the outcasts of Jewish society found help in him. Unlike the people of Jesus' time who fled at the sight of a leper, Jesus touched the leper who approached him and he made him whole and clean. Why was this so remarkable? Lepers were outcasts of society. They were driven from their homes and communities and left to fend for themselves. Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away. They were not only shunned but regarded as "already dead" even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur.
This leper did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection. Jesus met the man's misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words. He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well.
How do you approach those who seem difficult to love, or who are shunned by others because they are deformed or have some physical or mental weakness? Do you show them kindness and offer them mercy and help as Jesus did? The Lord Jesus is always ready to show us his mercy and to free us from whatever makes us unclean, unapproachable, or unloving.
Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and make me clean and whole in body, mind, and spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to tell others of your mercy and compassion."
MEDITATION 2: Fr. Alfonse
Luke 5:12-16 A White Patch
(
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.”
Leprosy normally starts off as a small white patch. According to Jewish law, a person with a white sore must show it to a priest. If the priest was uncertain about it, the person would be quarantined for seven days. At the conclusion of the seventh day, the individual would be re-examined. If the white patch had grown or spread, then that person would be expelled from the community, the community of the living, and be left to roam among the walking dead.
Back then, leprosy was a death sentence. But the horror of the disease did not come from any physical pain (in fact, while the disease gradually destroys the nervous system it eliminates the possibility of feeling any pain) but rather from an immense suffering associated with isolation, loneliness and abandonment. The disease not only left the person physically scared, it also produced psychological trauma.
A small white patch. Like leprosy, every sin starts off small. If it is not dealt with immediately, the problem will only continue to grow bigger and bigger. Very rarely does it go away on its own. Very rarely are we strong enough to handle it by ourselves.
Sins start off small. It almost always does. Little by little we lie more and more. Little by little we steal more and more. Little by little we flirt more and more. Most people don’t start off with hard drugs; they start off with soft drugs. Most teenagers don’t start looking at hardcore pornography; they start with soft porn. Most kids don’t start drinking in access; they steal a sip here and there.
I mentioned yesterday that Congress received horrible approval ratings, worse than head lice and cockroaches! But what I failed to mention is that they received greater praise than North Korea and Lindsay Lohan. Lindsay Lohan! Remember her?
Remember when she was the shining star at Disney? Remember how she was handpicked for her innocence, purity, charm and beauty? By the time she was sixteen, she was adored and loved by millions of fans. If twitter had existed back then, she would have had millions and millions of followers.
But the same people that fed her have killed her. The same people that stroked her ego have cracked it into a million pieces. And while her fans fanned her flames, her producer, promoter, and maybe even her own mother and father demanded that she deliver more.
Everyone loved to follow her while she was destroying herself. All the paparazzi surrounded her while she was inebriated, intoxicated and being incriminated. They finally stopped following her after everyone else was disgusted by her.
But who created her? Who took her innocence away? Who took her childhood away? Who took advantage of her to profit off of her?
In order for her to rise to the stars, her advisors stripped her of her humanity (limitations) and gave her a goddess appearance; that is, that there was nothing she could not do. Now that they used her and abused her, they have urinated all over her and left her as some disease infested woman.
This is what a secular society does to people. This is what communism did to their people. Communist nations were the first nations in the history of the world to declare themselves “God-Free” zones.
When he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” What makes Jesus truly God? His compassion and mercy. He never writes anyone off. He never sends anyone off. The Lord touched the man whose whole body was full of leprosy. He touched him and healed him. With one touch he welcomed him. With one touch he brought back his dignity. With one touch he gave him back his humanity. Then, he healed him.
Today, we should pray for each other; we should pray for all sinners.
Today, we should reach out to one another; we should reach out to everyone.
Today, we should help as many people as possible to get closer to the Lord.
Let’s put some skin and blood into it and help rid the world of those awful little white patches.
Friday after Epiphany
Reading 1 1 JN 5:5-13
Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia SEE MT 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 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.
MEDITATION 1: Bro. Schwager
Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? No one who sought Jesus out was refused his help. Even the untouchables and the outcasts of Jewish society found help in him. Unlike the people of Jesus' time who fled at the sight of a leper, Jesus touched the leper who approached him and he made him whole and clean. Why was this so remarkable? Lepers were outcasts of society. They were driven from their homes and communities and left to fend for themselves. Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away. They were not only shunned but regarded as "already dead" even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur.
This leper did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection. Jesus met the man's misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words. He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well.
How do you approach those who seem difficult to love, or who are shunned by others because they are deformed or have some physical or mental weakness? Do you show them kindness and offer them mercy and help as Jesus did? The Lord Jesus is always ready to show us his mercy and to free us from whatever makes us unclean, unapproachable, or unloving.
Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and make me clean and whole in body, mind, and spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to tell others of your mercy and compassion."
MEDITATION 2: Fr. Alfonse
Luke 5:12-16 A White Patch
(
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.”
Leprosy normally starts off as a small white patch. According to Jewish law, a person with a white sore must show it to a priest. If the priest was uncertain about it, the person would be quarantined for seven days. At the conclusion of the seventh day, the individual would be re-examined. If the white patch had grown or spread, then that person would be expelled from the community, the community of the living, and be left to roam among the walking dead.
Back then, leprosy was a death sentence. But the horror of the disease did not come from any physical pain (in fact, while the disease gradually destroys the nervous system it eliminates the possibility of feeling any pain) but rather from an immense suffering associated with isolation, loneliness and abandonment. The disease not only left the person physically scared, it also produced psychological trauma.
A small white patch. Like leprosy, every sin starts off small. If it is not dealt with immediately, the problem will only continue to grow bigger and bigger. Very rarely does it go away on its own. Very rarely are we strong enough to handle it by ourselves.
Sins start off small. It almost always does. Little by little we lie more and more. Little by little we steal more and more. Little by little we flirt more and more. Most people don’t start off with hard drugs; they start off with soft drugs. Most teenagers don’t start looking at hardcore pornography; they start with soft porn. Most kids don’t start drinking in access; they steal a sip here and there.
I mentioned yesterday that Congress received horrible approval ratings, worse than head lice and cockroaches! But what I failed to mention is that they received greater praise than North Korea and Lindsay Lohan. Lindsay Lohan! Remember her?
Remember when she was the shining star at Disney? Remember how she was handpicked for her innocence, purity, charm and beauty? By the time she was sixteen, she was adored and loved by millions of fans. If twitter had existed back then, she would have had millions and millions of followers.
But the same people that fed her have killed her. The same people that stroked her ego have cracked it into a million pieces. And while her fans fanned her flames, her producer, promoter, and maybe even her own mother and father demanded that she deliver more.
Everyone loved to follow her while she was destroying herself. All the paparazzi surrounded her while she was inebriated, intoxicated and being incriminated. They finally stopped following her after everyone else was disgusted by her.
But who created her? Who took her innocence away? Who took her childhood away? Who took advantage of her to profit off of her?
In order for her to rise to the stars, her advisors stripped her of her humanity (limitations) and gave her a goddess appearance; that is, that there was nothing she could not do. Now that they used her and abused her, they have urinated all over her and left her as some disease infested woman.
This is what a secular society does to people. This is what communism did to their people. Communist nations were the first nations in the history of the world to declare themselves “God-Free” zones.
When he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” What makes Jesus truly God? His compassion and mercy. He never writes anyone off. He never sends anyone off. The Lord touched the man whose whole body was full of leprosy. He touched him and healed him. With one touch he welcomed him. With one touch he brought back his dignity. With one touch he gave him back his humanity. Then, he healed him.
Today, we should pray for each other; we should pray for all sinners.
Today, we should reach out to one another; we should reach out to everyone.
Today, we should help as many people as possible to get closer to the Lord.
Let’s put some skin and blood into it and help rid the world of those awful little white patches.