If You Wish!

Friday, January 10, 2025

1 Jn 5:5-13; Lk 5:12-16

Today’s Gospel highlights the art of touching the hearts of people through our solidaristic mission. 

While reading the text, paying close attention to the leper’s words of appeal would help us with a much better understanding: ‘Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.’

The leper’s request is so earnest that he does not determine what Jesus must do to alleviate his pain or cure his disease. Instead, he leaves the decision of his cure to Jesus himself, after presenting his case. 

Jesus’ response to someone in pain and shame is even more inspiring. While the leper leaves it to Jesus, saying, ‘If you wish,’ Jesus takes the request more personal and serious. 

Jesus could have cured the leper in silence or with a mere spoken word. Though there was every possibility for healing the leper remotely, Jesus heals him through his touch. 

Here, we cannot overlook the description that the man was ‘full of leprosy.’ Hence, the mere sight of him would have been disgusting, regardless of the foul smell that his decomposing flesh always carried. 

But by his touch, Jesus shows that even the leper carried God’s image and likeness in him. In other words, Jesus honors the leper’s creational identity with his personal touch. 

Here, Jesus’ healing touch is nothing but his solidaristic feeling with the one who has been suffering pain and shame for years. 

Jesus touched the leper’s body. But his attitude and approach touched the hearts of all his followers. 

It is the compassionate attitude of Jesus and the gentleness of his approach that spread his fame and popularity far and wide. 

Let us pray that we may imitate Jesus’ example to touch people’s lives through our generous attitude and gentle approach. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar