Today’s Gospel describes Jesus touching a man sick with a severe case of leprosy and healing him instantly. Biblical “leprosy” rarely indicated leprosy proper in modern man’s understanding. It was mostly, the term referred to skin diseases like ringworm, psoriasis, leukoderma, vitiligo and some types of skin cancer.
The terrific suffering of lepers was chiefly the result of the way how they were treated by the religious society of the day apart from the physical suffering caused by the disease. They were deemed unclean, unfit to be counted among a people who considered themselves “a kingdom of priests, a holy nation” (Ex 19:6).
“Leprosy” was also a terrible disease because its victims were separated from their families and society. The norms of this social isolation to lepers is seen in the book of Leviticus, “The one who bears the sores of leprosy shall (1) keep his garments rent (wear only torn dresses), (2) and head bear (not allowed to com the hair), (3) and shall muffle his beard (cover beard and lips with a piece of cloth); (4) he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ (Lv. 13:45).
Above all leprosy was considered as the external expression of the disease of soul, sin. Therefore, Jewish society prescribed a purification ritual for someone who happened to be closer to a leper more than 3 meters. As a rule, when a Jewish leper was healed, he had to go to the local priest for confirmation that he was now clean and was permitted to mix with
the public.
Besides, lepers were treated as sinners deserving no mercy because they were seen as being punished by God with their contagious disease. The leprosy given by God as a punishment to (1) Miriam, the complaining sister of Moses, to (2) Gehazi, the greedy
servant of the prophet Elijah and (3) to the proud the King Uzziah, supported the Jewish belief that leprosy was God’s punishment for sins.
Despite all the religious and social prescriptions and restrictions the sympathy and mercy of Jesus prompted Him to violate the Mosaic Law which forbade anyone to touch an untouchable leper. This is an epiphany, an epiphany of Divine compassion. This epiphany teaches the lesson that the essence of Christianity is to touch the untouchable, to love the unlovable, and to forgive the unforgivable. Amen.
Fr. Jerry Joseph Vallomkunnel MCBS