Healing a leper

Matt 8:1-4

8 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; 2 and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’

When Jesus had finished his teaching on the mountain, he came back down into the real life of people in need. In real life is where Jesus’ teaching (or any teaching, for that matter) is tested, does this really work or is it just so many words.

The leper had a contagious skin disease that caused nerves on fingers and toes to die, and then when fingers and toes were injured and became infected, gangrene set in and the foot or the hand were lost. Because of how contagious it was thought to be, to touch a leper was a violation of the law.

The man asked Jesus to heal him, recognizing that the healing was entirely up to Jesus, Jesus alone would make the decision. In asking for healing the man was expressing his humility, his dependence of Jesus. This is central piece of faith – not only it is about believing that Jesus can heal, it is also about recognizing that we cannot heal ourselves, admitting to ourselves that by our power we cannot fix the problem. Faith is about giving up our power, letting go of our control, and trusting in God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – alone.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, I choose to bring healing – and the man was healed. Jesus reaches out an touches the broken places in our lives, the places we will let no one see – and says, “Let me bring healing, give up your striving, your empty efforts at fixing this, and trust me.”

PRAYER:

O Lord Jesus, you see us and know us, come and heal us. We want to stop striving, to stop trying to fix, we give ourselves into your hands. Reach out your hand and touch us. Amen.