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Tag: Lepers

  • GOD without Borders

    GOD without Borders

    October 9, 2022 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100922.cfm)

    The common belief among many Jews in Biblical times was that God was only for them. Yahweh chose them to be His people and thus, it was understood that the Lord God would only favor them and no other peoples except them. This belief made them exclusive to the point that outsiders are unwelcomed. More than this, God was as if being monopolized by the people and not wanting the Lord to be outside. This belief proved to be problematic and caused a lot of divisions, hatred and indifference among the people.

    Such form of monopoly can also be present and creeping even in our culture today as Christians among our groups and religious organizations. Like for example, there was a choir-group in a small parish who seemed to be so exclusive and trying to monopolize their services for weddings, funerals and even birthday events in the community. There were even particular songs they claimed that only them should sing and no other groups. They went further by advertising their choir group to the people to advance their singing services. As a result, such actions caused divisions and unnecessary conflicts and tensions in the Parish Community. Their exclusivity and monopoly become toxic.

    This belief and attitude of our heart, indeed, not just limit us but also limit God to be God. Our exclusivity and monopolizing attitude could make us unwelcoming and horribly indifferent towards others.

    This is something that the readings we have today on this 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time are trying to convey to us that God is without borders and our Church and all our communities cannot be exclusive and cannot monopolize God. So, allow me now to journey with you through our readings and see how God calls us today.

    In the first reading from the Second Book of Kings, Naaman who was a commander of a Syrian Army, went to Elisha to be cleansed from leprosy. Naaman was first told about Elisha by his captured-slave, a young girl from Israel. Naaman who was very desperate listened to her and went to Elisha. For the Hebrews at this time, their belief told them that this foreigner did not deserve to be cleansed of leprosy because he was different and an enemy. Yet, though it was not directly through Elisha, Naaman was cleansed as he was instructed by the prophet to plunge into the Jordan river seven times.

    This was something very significant here. Elisha was telling something very important. He did not even touch Naaman but only instructed him. Elisha wanted Naaman to realize the power and grace of God directly working in Naaman. Naaman understood this, hence, he was grateful for that encounter with the Lord. The gratitude of Naaman was overflowing and was transformed into action through his new found faith in God. Though Elisha refused to accept his gift, yet, Naaman in response worship the Lord from then on.

    This healing story of Naaman already tells us that God is not limited among the Hebrew people. God’s grace and favor cannot be monopolized by a particular culture or group. This is something we have heard as well in the Responsorial Psalm that clearly proclaims, “The Lord has revealed to the NATIONS his saving power.” Yes, the Lord’s presence is revealed to many nations not just to one nation, not just to a particular group of people or race or language. But to all.

    Moreover, today’s passage in the Gospel of Luke tells us also of another healing of a group of despised people, the lepers like Naaman. There were 10 of them who asked Jesus’ mercy so that they will be cleansed. Nine were Jews and one was a Samaritan. People won’t come near them for fear of contamination. This was the reason why they stood at a distance and did not dare to come near. Here, we can already notice the indifference among the people against them. These lepers were unwanted and unwelcomed, believed to be cursed by God.

    However, as the 10 lepers were on their way to the priest as instructed by Jesus, they were healed and cleansed from leprosy. This is where we find the turn of events and a seemingly more faces of animosity and indifference. Only one of the ten came back to give thanks to God for the grace of healing received. The nine did not, as Jesus also wondered. Well, we can also suspect that the nine Jewish lepers, they must have not believed that the Samaritan among them will also be healed and cleansed. It must be still in their hearts that bitterness and exclusivity.

    Upon seeing the Samaritan who was also healed, they must have felt bad and turned bitter believing that the Samaritan did not deserve such grace. This could be the reason why they forgot to give thanks to God. Their heart must be heavy and could not accept the reality that God also graces even non-Jews.

    However, God is not limited to any group of people. No one can monopolize the grace of God or claim that God is theirs alone because God remains faithful to all. Yes, God is faithful to all humanity and to all His creatures. This is what Paul reminds us in his second letter to Timothy. Paul who was already old and was in prison at this time reminded his friend Timothy, of God’s faithfulness even when we become unfaithful to the Lord.

    Thus, on this Sunday there are at least two points that I would like you to dwell.

    First, God is without borders. Meaning, we do not have the monopoly of God and of God’s grace. This invites us  then to be more faithful to our identity as Catholics, which basically means, universal or inclusive. Thus, let not our differences become a reason to be indifferent with one another, or become hostile with each other. We are all brothers and sisters, no one should be left alone and be apart from God’s family.

    Second, let our gratitude transform to active faith. Naaman’s gratitude made him worship God and the healed Samaritan Leper’s gratitude made him to give thanks to the Lord. So, let also our gratitude to the Lord become an expression of faith that recognizes God’s inclusive presence and grace to all. Hence, let our faith become inclusive and not discriminating. Let our faith gathers, not divides. Let our faith generates understanding and love, not hostility and apathy to those who are different from us. Kabay pa.

  • As Thanksgiving in Return

    As Thanksgiving in Return

    October 9, 2022 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100922.cfm)

    A man once never thought that he would donate blood in all of his life. Once, however, his child got very ill & hospitalized, and badly needed blood transfusion. Luckily, they were able to get a blood donor for his sick child. Now, as he watched the donated blood dripping through into his child’s veins, he suddenly realized that someone had shared & donated the blood that is keeping and helping his child alive. Straightaway he made up his mind to become a blood donor, himself, and he was as good as his word – regularly as needed donating blood as thanksgiving for the gift.

    Last Sundays’ readings were all about `Faith’. Particularly, in last Sunday’s gospel, we heard the apostles’ request to increase their faith. But Jesus reprimanded them by pointing out to them that God has given them enough faith and no need to ask for more because it is already given. In a way, Jesus directed us now and his disciples then that we cannot demand God to grant us the gift of faith because faith is God’s grace. It is God’s free gift given to us voluntarily of His love, and not out of our requests, wants or needs, or even payment for our good deeds.

    Today’s readings are also about FAITH but faith not only as God’s gift but faith as our response in gratitude and thanksgiving to God’s love.

    Naaman in our first reading, having cured of his leprosy, in return comes to believe in the true God and commits himself to praise the God of Elisha. St. Paul in our second reading resolves to preach the Good News to others despite persecutions, oppositions, and hardships so “that they, too may obtain the salvation given to us in Christ Jesus and share eternal glory” – meaning, that others may also share what is given us. In our gospel, ten lepers were cured of their leprosy, because of their faith in Jesus. But only one Samaritan came back to thank him and praise God – only one is grateful enough for what God has done to his life.  

    All of these would mean that inasmuch as faith is a gift from God, faith is also our commitment to respond in return to God’s generosity and goodness to us. Faith is then our personal decision to commit ourselves in resolving to give something back in gratitude to God’s love and goodness to us. Like that of the man & the healed Samaritan leper, our faith should compel us to do something in response to God’s love and grace-given us.

    Having faith may have saved us, healed us, cured us and… it thus also makes us acknowledge God’s grace in us anew, and challenges us to change our ways and be renewed in our relationship with God. Inasmuch as faith without action is useless, God’s gift of love and generosity to us are also useless without our faith-response. It is not sufficient then to have more than enough faith. But as we receive God’s gifts & miracles of faith in our lives, we need also to express our faith as thanksgiving in return.

    To share in God’s grace then, it is not only a matter of having faith, but also a matter of how we live out and practice our faith in Christ as our response in gratitude to God’s grace. Rather than being worried about how we can avail of, how we can benefit more from & be entitled of God’s grace, we should be more concern on what return can we make to God in gratitude, and how can we reciprocate or “pay-forward” God’s goodness to us with others.

    But still, many would like most to avail of the generosity & benefit from the help of others, but few are willing to give something back in gratitude. Remember, out of ten lepers who were cured, only one came back to thank. Thus, gratitude is so important. Gratitude makes us want to give something back in grateful response for such great gift. Gratitude makes us help others and celebrate-exchange our gifts-received with others.

    As followers of Christ, the Holy Eucharist is our expression and celebration of our faith-response in praise and thanksgiving to God for all the blessings he has given us through His Son Jesus, in life so-far. We are supposed to be a Eucharistic people, a people constantly grateful to God. So, don’t be so pre-occupied with the beautiful things God has given us that we forget to thank the Giver of the gifts, and fail to share such gifts with others. What matters most then is not the gifts but the Giver of the gifts, and how gifts are shared and celebrated – that is how it is freely given and gladly received by one another.

    So perhaps every time and next time you attend Mass, ask beforehand not for what gifts you need and want from God, but instead, ask how God has been generous and good to you lately that made you grateful to celebrate & share with others now here in our celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

    And may our prayer now be: For all that has been… Thanks you Lord. For all that will be… Yes, Lord. Amen.

  • OUR TOUCH IN THIS PANDEMIC

    OUR TOUCH IN THIS PANDEMIC

    June 25, 2020 – Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062521.cfm)

    How many of us who found it hard to observe the “no touching” protocol from our medical experts? It must have been very difficult at the beginning. But some might have been used by now. And because of the daily infections, we are still advised to refrain from touching people or things. Touch only when it is necessary.

    Yet, naturally, we have been so used to touch. In expressing our affection we touch. When we give comfort to a friend or a person we love, we touch. When we greet a friend or even a stranger, we also touch. In our religious practices, we also touch. When we pray and ask the intercession of the saints, we touch their sacred statues or kiss the holy images of our Lord. However, with this pandemic we are all advised to refrain.

    Today, many are still being confined at home but much better compared the early months of covid. Our movements are still limited and our desire to meet our friends and loved ones are sometimes prohibited or limited.  For more than a year, we long for a human touch and long for human encounters. Thus, we could also understand the frustration that we feel because of this significant change in our life.

    With all of these, we also realize the importance of human touch and of human encounter. There is a healing power in human touch. It can give comfort to a bruised and fearful heart. It could heal a painful part of our body. It can give confidence and assurance of support, love and trust.

    And with this pandemic, limiting and prohibiting us to touch others, it surely brought more difficulties to those who were/are infected with this terrible disease. But, more than the virus, the depression, the loneliness, the desperation and helplessness, fear and anxiety would have definitely haunted them too. I have friends who asked for prayers for their loved ones infected by the virus and friends who themselves got infected and were isolated from their loved ones. Those whom they loved, parents, siblings or children were prevented to visit them. This created so much stress and longing. Yet, they cannot help it because of the danger of infecting those whom they love.

    These frustrations and longing to be touched or to have a human encounter is innate in us. Not being able to touch and be touched by the people whom we love would give us emptiness.

    This is the story we also heard from the Gospel. A leper was discriminated and was socially isolated because of his illness. But he came to Jesus. He asked for healing. Yet, that was totally against the culture and belief at that time. The community despised lepers and they were always driven out of the city. They should and never be near with anyone.

    Yet, he must have longed for an encounter with another human being who understands and shows compassion. In his desire to be touched, through Jesus, he too was touched by God.

    Jesus knew the longing of this leper. As the leper longed for human encounter, for acceptance, he also longed to be touched, to be loved. Against the culture and belief at that time, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.

    The touch of Jesus made this leper clean and healed. Jesus’ touch assured him that God has not left him and that God loves him. Thus, this reminds us that our touch can be a form of loving, can be an expression of healing, of freedom.

    This is the invitation today. Though physically it is difficult these days to touch others, but at least make an effort to let those who need love and understanding be touched by our presence. Though we may not be able to caress the back of a friend for comfort, let those who are grieving and depressed, those who are in pain and lost, to be touched by the assurance of our friendship. Let those who are hungry and suffering in dire poverty be touched also by our generosity. Hinaut pa.

  • GIVING LIFE BY TOUCHING THE LIVES OF OTHER WITH KINDNESS

    GIVING LIFE BY TOUCHING THE LIVES OF OTHER WITH KINDNESS

    February 14, 2021 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021421.cfm)

    When I was on my first year college in the seminary in Cebu, I met Nanay Elisabeth, an old lady, sick with leprosy. Despite her illness she was very welcoming. She was in fact the most talkative in their ward. Like a Nanay, she was very affectionate to us seminarians. I usually would come to visit the ward where Nanay Elizabeth was on Saturday afternoons to mingle with leprosy patients and make friends with them.

    The many visits I made formed friendship with them and especially to Nanay Elizabeth who always would offer her leprosy-infected-hand, but healed, for us seminarians to receive her blessing. In one of those visits, Nanay Elizabeth shared her life story which touched me very much.

    Due to her illness, she never got married. Life was so difficult because she was poor. In her younger years, she was into scavenging garbage in Cebu. One early morning, as she approached a garbage bin to collect recyclable materials she found something. She actually found “someone” inside the garbage bin that others might have thought, was a trash.

    Nanay Elisabeth found a newly born baby girl in that garbage bin. She named her Nancy. Nancy, perhaps, a reason why she was thrown away was because Baby Nancy had a cerebral palsy. Nancy was sick and in the minds of many, they might have believed that she was a cursed baby and useless. But what was more heartwarming there, was Nanay Elisabeth’s unconditional love for the baby. The baby was unwanted but for this young woman, Elisabeth, all her love and affection were for Nancy. She brought Nancy home and did all her best to let Nancy feel that she was loved and treasured.

    However, when the signs of leprosy began to appear to Nanay Elizabeth, that became a painful part of her life because she had to leave Nancy to a group of Religious Sisters while she had to be in the leprosarium to be treated. Nanay Elizabeth’s heart ached daily because she longed to see Nancy.

    With some of my classmates, we went to that center where Nancy was, visited her and took pictures of her so that Nanay Elizabeth would have a glimpse of her daughter.

    This is a story and an encounter that proves kindness and love in the human heart that values human life and worth despite its seemingly ugliness. It tells us that no matter how poor we are, wounded or imperfect we are in the eyes of many – we can give life to others by touching the lives of those who need most of our love and kindness.

    This brings me into the story of the Gospel. A leper found love and kindness in Jesus. In the Biblical times, a leper was nobody. A person who has leprosy is removed from the community. It means that the person is forced to leave from the comfort and presence of friends, family and relatives.

    The Jews at that time believed that leprosy was an ultimate punishment for sin. A leper was considered a terrible sinner punished by God and thus unclean, unworthy and worthless person. This became a form of treating a leper as less than human or not human at all.

    Jews would avoid them at all times. This is what we find in the Book of Leviticus that prescribed on what to do with lepers. They are to stay outside the camp, that is, outside from the daily affairs of his/her family and community. A leper has to make known himself by shouting, “Unclean! Unclean!” to warn the people of his presence. Everybody will never get near and come close to a leper for fear of being infected and worst of being considered as unclean too. Though there was a medical explanation for this, as isolation of the infected will protect the community. However, later on, this also fostered a culture of indifference and discrimination to the sick.

    Yet, our Gospel conveys to us a shocking and moving turn of events. A leper should never get near to a Jew and a Jew should also immediately avoid any contact with a leper. But then, it was so shocking for all the Jews to see a leper coming closer to Jesus asking the Lord to cure him. What was more surprising there was the gesture of Jesus towards the leper. Jesus touched the leper!

    The Lord touched a worthless person, an unclean and less human leper. And when that touch of Jesus happened, it destroyed the wall of indifference among the Jews towards the poor leper. The touch of Jesus assured the leper that he was not worthless at all, that he was not less human but, he was loved and cherished by the Lord who longed to see him joyful and healed.

    Jesus was moved to touch the leper because the Lord looked with pity on him. This feeling of pity described in the Gospel is not a “shallow feeling” that we usually have when we see a beggar or a person with difficulty, and we feel pity for him/her, but then we go along with our life and forget about the person. No, it is not that way. What Jesus felt was true pity where he too felt the sorrow and pain of the leper. In fact, Jesus was so distressed and disappointed to see the situation of the leper. This moved him to do something, and that is, to touch the leper in order to cleanse him. By doing that, Jesus broke the barriers of disgust, shame and fear that prevented the leper to be accepted by the community. Jesus changed those negative feelings and indifference with kindness and love.

    This is how the Lord calls us on this day of Feb-IBIG, on this day of love, that we too will recognize persons in our community today who have been left out, abandoned and disgusted by many, so that, like Jesus we may also be able to touch them and show kindness and love.

    As we remember and celebrate today what love can do, let that love in us also counter the growing indifference towards those whom our society identifies as worthless, useless and less human. To counter such injustice and indifference, never ever treat anybody as less human or useless because of their imperfection, because of their sickness or because of their failures in life.

    Let us also not forget that each of us has our own leprosy, imperfections and sins that would qualify us as unclean before God. However, God showed pity upon us and became human like us so that Jesus may touch us to heal us.

    Let us now share to our families and communities the touch of God that we have experienced so that like Nanay Elizabeth who despite her own situation, we too may be able to give life to those who need it, to give joy to those who are sad, and to give hope to those who are hopeless. Hinaut pa.

  • GOD STRETCHING OUT TO US

    GOD STRETCHING OUT TO US

    January 14, 2021 – Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011421.cfm)

    “If you wish, you can make me clean.” This was the plead of the leper to Jesus. The leper had been discriminated, ignored and rejected by his own family and community. Perhaps, all he could remember in his heart were the bitter and hurtful treatment of people around him. No one would dare touch him or just be near him. Any other person, even a family member, would feel disgusted of his presence because he was sick.

    Yet, not Jesus. This leper who wanted to be healed and cleansed by God, begged Jesus. The leper who must have heard of the wonders did by Jesus in many places, came and wanted to also experience God’s grace. Nevertheless, what this leper did not expect was the way Jesus did the healing to him. In many instances, Jesus would just say the words, “be healed,” and sick people were healed. But not in this case. Jesus who was always moved with pity, his heart moved with loved and compassion, came and stretched out his hand to touch the leper.

    The man must have been surprised at that moment when Jesus stretched out his hand. It must have been the very first touch from another person since he got sick. And it must had been shocking and disgusting too for people around to see that Jesus touched a leper.

    Jesus was not supposed to touch the leper and he had to adhere what the people believed. Being there at that time, there must be others who murmured and complained for the daring action of Jesus.

    However, Jesus’s intention was to bring healing and to let this leper know that he was not after all abandoned and ignored. God looked at him lovingly and desired life for him. The touch of Jesus was also a powerful message to him and to all the people around. In God, no one is beyond God’s reach, no one is untouchable.

    This is the meaning of God stretching out to us. In many ways, Jesus would always stretch out his hand to bring healing and life into our troubled and wounded hearts. God desires to touch us because what God wants for all us is that we may have the fullness of life.

    The Letter to the Hebrews tells us too, “listen to his voice and harden not your hearts.” For God to touch us, allow our hearts to be open to God’s hand. A heart hardened by sin and indifference would prevent us to allow God to touch us.

    Let our sacraments and the scriptures open our hearts. Allow our friends, family members and the Church and yourself to become the very hand of God stretching out his grace and presence for us today. Hinaut pa.