Reflection
This week completes the Church’s Christmas season, the period after the Epiphany and before the beginning of Ordinary time. As has been the theme for the week, we have today yet another “manifestation” of Jesus. Today, He is the manifestation of Divine Healing.
Most of Jesus’ signs and miracles, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, were healings. Jesus healed the blind, the mute, the deaf, lepers, the lame, the paralyzed, epileptics, and the sick. Through these healings, Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophets and manifested that the age of salvation had come. For example, Isaiah prophesied that in the age of salvation, the eyes of the blind would be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame would leap like the deer, and the tongues of the mute would sing for joy (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus fulfilled all these prophecies.
When Jesus touched the leper, he was not rendered unclean by the leper. The reverse happened. The leper was cleansed by Jesus. The same happens with our sinful humanity. When God touched us by assuming our human nature, he was not rendered unclean. Instead, the Son of God perfected our human nature. He lived our life but was not marred by sin. This is comforting because no matter how serious or how many our sins are, they can all be healed and cleansed by God’s healing touch.
Jesus commands the leper to go and show himself to the priest. This was to fulfill the Law of Moses, which obligated those who were healed from skin diseases to be examined by the priests before they could be readmitted to the community and society. This was a practical way of protecting the community from a contagious disease. But it was also a sign that pointed to something greater in the New Covenant. When we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we show ourselves to the priest. We humbly confess our sins, manifest as best we can our conscience, and ask to be readmitted to God’s family. When the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation ends, there is still work to be done. We need to do our penance and work to restore the relationships we broke through sin.
Notice that the leper initiated the encounter with Jesus. Likewise, we must initiate our reconciliation and restoration by approaching Jesus, through the priest in which Jesus is made present. Our faith is more than a spiritual encounter. Our faith calls us to be physically present to the Lord, whether it be at Mass to hear His Word and be fed by His Body and Blood, or to be healed by His Divine Healing. The Lord is always waiting to embrace us in His loving arms.
Today’s Questions for Prayer and Reflection
Is it time to go again to confession and receive the grace of forgiveness and reconciliation? What sins should I be working on to overcome during this Year of Jubilee?
Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/2939