The Gospel Reading is also a story of a leper who kneels before Jesus with this request: “If you choose, you can make me clean”. Moved with compassion, “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I do choose. Be made clean”. (Mark 1:40 -45).
In the previous story about Naaman we saw that leprosy was a social stigma. It was cause for ostracism by society and any achievements in life were overshadowed by the stigma.
Probably after reading the previous piece some are protesting the notion that we all might be lepers. Not when we are so much perfect members of society. How could we be lepers? After all lepers had their own restricted areas, if you wish, where they could not contaminate the “clean” society.
Granted!
Can we as equally strongly protest that there are no "lepers" in our society today? Are there neighborhoods in Cincinnati where only certain types of people should reside, where the rest of the “clean” segment of society can be protected from contamination?
One can think of Over the Rhine, for example, or Walnut Hills!
Are these areas that many in Cincinnati would feel uncomfortable to rub shoulders with the residents there? Are there not some in Cincinnati who would suspect they would be mugged or robbed if they stepped into these or similar neighborhoods?
God embraced Naaman through the ministry of Elisha, the “man of God”. Jesus embraced the leper with compassion and healing. That is exactly what people of God ought to do in every community.
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