Friday after Epiphany

In today’s Gospel, Jesus encounters “a man full of leprosy.” This man was not only headed toward a very painful death, but he also had to suffer total isolation. As prescribed in the Mosaic Law, he was not allowed to be part of the community in any way. Total abandonment and forgotten by all…except Jesus. It is Jesus who hears the man’s cry and touches him. It would have been the first time he experienced human contact since he contracted the disease. It is Jesus’ touch that not only heals the man of his leprosy, but also restores the man to communion.

Jesus came into the world to save us from our sinfulness and to heal the brokenness inside each of us. But He doesn’t do this from a distance. Instead, He comes in close to us. He wants to touch us and to open us up to His friendship and His divine love. All we need to do is to let Him in.