In today’s Gospel Jesus cures a Leper. This takes me back to my travels in Papua New Guinea with Bishop Desmond Moore when I witnessed a miracle take place.
Bishop Moore and I had been traveling from Island to Island celebrating the sacraments and Blessing new Church buildings. One morning as we were having breakfast Bishop Moore said to me, “Have you ever met a leper before?” I said, “No.” He told me that there was one standing at the door. I then watched the bishop stand up from the table, walk over to this young leper girl and embrace her. On that day, a young leper was healed, not physically but the bishop raised her up to a level unlike any other. While others stayed away from the lepers he embraced them with his love and gave them self worth.
In our daily lives we encounter the lepers of society, not with the physical decease of leprosy but leprosy that takes many other forms. How to we respond to those who others reject?
Today, let us pray that we can be like Bishop Moore who imitated Christ in His fullness and embrace the lepers that we meet and raise them up as would Christ.
