SKIN RASHES: UNCLEAN
In the Old Testament, a
skin rash was a sign that a person is a sinner and thus unclean. The skin
rash could be any skin disease; from ringworm to dandruff. In fact, mildew
in one's clothing was a sign of uncleanness or sinfulness thus the clothing
had to be burned.
And one of the skin
diseases was leprosy. Any leper knew he was a sinner in the eyes of God and
unclean in the eyes of men. So he had to cover himself with tattered cloths
and exclaim, "Unclean, unclean," when people approached him.
The leper's prayer showed
his great faith. . .in that he approached Christ as God and not as a
physician or a financier. He did not ask Christ to cure him or, as we would
do, ask for financial assistance. "Lord, if Thou wilt. . ." You
are God and may Your will be done. When we pray, don't we often tell God
what is our will rather than find out God's will?
The leper was interested in
God's will. "Not my will, O Lord." Your will is always best for
me. I want the best, so let Your will be accomplished in me. What I want I
can never know if it is good for me.
He further showed his
acknowledgment of Christ as God -- he first adored and paid homage to
Him.
Then Christ touched him to
show that there is nothing unclean except sin. He used spittle to perform
His miracle to show that He always chooses the lowly thing, like spittle, to
accomplish great things. He teaches us that leprosy of the body is no
obstacle to virtue. It is sin that is the obstacle.
The Church, the virgin
Bride of Christ, must be spotless. So let us pay homage to and adore Christ
and pray as the leper did, "Lord, never my will but Your will be
done." Then, maybe, we can become part of the Church of Christ.
(09-01-02)
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