Defeated Not Destroyed

~~~ 1 Samuel 4:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 44 ~~~ Mark 1:40-45 ~~~

Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.

The Leper's curse...

he must wear torn clothes , let his hair be unkempt, 

cover the lower part of his face and call out 'Unclean! unclean!' 

As long as he is sick with skin sores he remains unclean. 

He must live outside the community.

(Leviticus 13: 45-46)

Can you imagine being in such a state?

Can you imagine the feelings of humility and shame?

Can you imagine such harsh treatment for an illness?
Can you imagine the feelings of defeat?
Your health in many ways defines who you are.

The leper came to Jesus seeking a cure.

He wanted to be healed.

He humbly knelt before Jesus.

“If you wish, you can make me clean.”

The leper comes in faith to Jesus. 

He believes Jesus has the power to heal.

The leper was willing to accept the will of Jesus.

Sometimes it is very difficult to accept the will of God,

especially when you want to be cured of something like leprosy.

Jesus could have legitimately sent the leper away 

for he was 'unclean'.

Moved with pity Jesus stretched out his hand

touched the leper and said to him...

“I do will it. Be made clean.”

How can this cured leper not share his healing with 

everyone he met along the way to the priests?

This poor leper was beside himself with joy and excitement.
This disease had ravaged his body for years;
now he is suddenly and completely healed.

The leper's enthusiasm resulted in Jesus
having to stay outside of the city.

This healing affected Jesus in a negative way,
but it did not keep him from extending mercy to the leper.

Whenever you feel defeated...whenever you feel knocked around by life
remember you will not be destroyed, have faith.

Come to Jesus he will touch your soul.

Blessings out of defeat.

~~~Peace~~~

Discrimination

~~~ Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 ~~~ Psalm 32 ~~~ 

~~~ 1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1 ~~~ Mark 1:40-45 ~~~

‘Unclean, unclean!’

The laws were exactly spelled out in the book of Leviticus.

It was very important, if you were to be a good Jew,

 to follow the laws as prescribed.

That meant that if you had any kind of skin sore 

you were considered to be unclean.

If you were unclean you were ostracized from the general public,

but more importantly you could not join in temple worship.

You were barred from hearing the readings and the teachings.

You were were at greater risk of falling into darkness.

If and when you were healed you had to present yourself 

before the elders as proof.

Then you were granted permission 

to return to the temple for worship.

You no longer had to publicly announce

 your presence in the street. 

Jesus did not come to abolish the law.

He came to show the people a better way...

a more compassionate way.

The leper came to Jesus to be healed.

He wanted to be fully restored into his community.

He wanted to be freed from his affliction.

Lepers were discriminated against at all levels of society.

Jesus cured the leper, but he also directed him

 to present himself to the elders.

Jesus wants to cure and cleanse each of us...

in mind, body, soul and spirit.

Jesus desires for us to be united with our community.

Standing on the outside looking in creates unrest and tension.

Those who were unclean were judged by others 

at all levels not just because of their physical diseases.

Who do we ostracize in our life today?

Is it the person who dresses differently...

whose skin is a different color

...who lives in a different area...who has less money...?

We all discriminate at one level or another.

Jesus removes the label of unclean.

He offers healing and forgiveness to all who come to him.

Jesus lived doing everything for the glory of God.

Saint Paul speaks to each of us...

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

If we must discriminate...let it be to give 

God glory in everything.

Blessed to have the means to remain united to our community.

God restores all to wholeness and cleanliness.

~~~Peace~~~

View Things Differently

~~~ 2 Kings 5: 1- 15 AB ~~~ Psalm 42 ~~~ Luke 4: 24-30 ~~~

"Amen, I say to you, No prophet is accepted in his own town."

Whenever Jesus begins a sentence with 'Amen' that means 

pay attention something important is to follow.

Amen means truth...verily...so be it...

Here we see Jesus speaking to the people of his own town of Nazareth.

The question has been asked if anything good can come out of this town.

The closer you are to a situation the harder it is to see clearly.

The locals were not able to get beyond the humble background

of Jesus. His family was not of the aristocratic segment of the population.

A child servant suggests that Naaman, 

who was stricken with leprosy, visit the prophet.

When he finally reaches the prophet 

he had in his mind an idea of what might take place.

But he was mistaken.

We believe that a miracle of healing takes place 

as a kind of spectacle.

We are mistaken too.

The prophet does indeed cure Naaman of his leprosy by directing him to

wash seven times in the waters of the river Jordan.

“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan,
and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.”

Naaman had been in these very waters previously with nothing
significant or healing occurring.
So why would this time be any different?
He was very familiar with this river just as the community of Nazareth
knew the family of Jesus.

God takes ordinary everyday things and changes them into something holy.
When God chooses to set apart something for his use
prepare to be amazed.
The ordinary will no longer remain ordinary.
Actually I am not sure if ordinary is a word God possesses.

Whatever God sets apart to be his chosen
 instrument is imbued with special graces.

The prophets were normal people that God blessed with special insight.

The waters of the River Jordan were made holy by God
to deliver healing to Naaman.
The waters blessed by God restored his skin removing all
signs of the leprosy.

Imagine the worst case of acne imaginable.
Leprosy was much much worse.
The cleansing of his outward appearance
must have profoundly changed his future life.

He was now able to be a contributing member of his society.
It was the at the urging of a child that he was healed.
This small child was instrumental in getting healing for her master.

Never think for a minute that you are not someone
 whom God would use.
God will use you if you let him.

 Blessed Mother Teresa considered herself
but a pencil in the hand of God.

Can you picture yourself in this position?
Try...See how it might feel.
You are his.

Reaching Out

~~~ 1 John 5:5-13 ~~~ Psalm 147 ~~~ Luke 5:12-16 ~~~

 

'...Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.'

 

Every time we attend Mass and receive Eucharist

we possess the Son, Jesus.

He comes into our mind and body in the presence

of the consecrated bread and wine.

His presence within stirs our heart to new life.

 

The body demands our attention now.

The body sometimes gets more of our attention than our soul.

Many do not even notice when the heart is starving.

 

The life we receive from the Son

is the greatest life...eternal life. 

Eternal life that can only come through the Son.

 

 

The man stricken with leprosy...

'...fell prostrate, pleaded with him,(Jesus) and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

 

The leper, as we know from scripture, was cured that day.

Jesus reached out to the man and touched him,

something that most people would not have done.

It was too dangerous.

You were directly exposing yourself to this dreaded disease.

The leper took a risk just be calling out to Jesus.

Imagine his surprise when Jesus reached out and touched him.

He understandably could not contain his joyful appreciation.

 

'...If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.'

 

Where does God need to touch your life?

If you call out to him he will surprise you with his touch.

Being among the unclean stricken with leprosy

gave the person reason to despair.

There is no place in your life where God

cannot enter.

 

Let today bring the touch of the Lord to that place

where you feel less than whole.

Be Blessed!

Do You Want to be Healed?

~~~ 2 Kings 5: 1-15 ~~~ Psalm 42-43 ~~~ Luke 4: 24-30 ~~~

Why do we question God's will?

Children are forever asking 'why' they have to obey or to follow directions. But the truth be told adults are much the same way. I find that I am often questioning why this or why that. We do not see the reasons for doing something a certain way or at a certain time.

Today in the second book of Kings we find Naaman asking this very question; 'Why?'

Why is it necessary for him to bathe in a specific river namely the river Jordan?

Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. It flows down into the Sea of Galilee. The Dead Sea is the final resting place for this flow of water.

Today the waters of the Jordan River are a major point of division among the neighboring peoples of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinians.

In ancient times the River Jordan was viewed as a source of fertility.

It is said to be the 'Garden of God'.

At the time, Naaman did not know the importance of the Jordan River, but the prophet Elisha had the insight to send him there to be cured. Naaman had the terrible disease of leprosy, a dread disease which kept the person by law separated from the rest of society. The concern of a little slave child for her master prompted him to seek healing from the prophet, Elisha.

The faith of a child is pure and sincere. The innocence of our childhood is mostly a mere anomaly of our past. God was at work here though or this child would not have been given any attention or taken seriously.

The initial petition for healing was presented to the wrong person; the king of Israel, since he was not the one who could prophesy he misinterpreted the request. How many times do we make our requests known to the wrong person. We place our trust in things of the world hoping they will bring us the happiness we are seeking.

Finally Naaman arrives at the door of Elisha where he is told to wash not once but seven times in the Jordan River. His first reaction was to leave in anger thinking this prescription for healing was absurd. He does not consider this river to be of any special significance.

The number seven is one of the most significant numbers in the Bible. Most importantly the number seven represents wholeness and completeness.

The healing and cleansing of Naaman's body only occurs when he is obedient to the words of the prophet. We too can only be healed of our sins and cleansed of guilt by being obedient to the words of God. By living our life as he modeled for us loving and forgiving others. Spreading peace and compassion along the way.

We must leave the comfort zone of what is familiar to be healed. Elisha was in Israel and Naaman came from Syria. Our comfort zone may be our own mind set and beliefs about the healing power of God.

Jesus came to heal our souls; to make us whole and complete in him. For it is only in God that we can attain complete wholeness.

Dip into the healing river of living water and renew your life in Christ.