Sunday of the Leper by Joseph Mathews (Jobi), Houston (St. Gregorios Orthodox Church)

Sunday of the Leper

St. Luke 5:12-16, 4:40-41

Imagine being affected by a disease that causes severe disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage. The bacteria would attack and deaden the nerves and cause loss of feeling in the arms and legs. The nerves stopped sending warning signals to the affected hands and feet, so individuals lost the ability to detect pain from injury, burns and fracture causing them to lose their limbs. This disease is leprosy.

While a student at Christian Medical College, Vellore (India), I assisted in treating a leprous patient where we found a nail that was embedded in his foot, possibly for several weeks and covered by callous (dead skin). This had gotten infected causing the doctors to amputate the foot to save his life. He could have prevented this by proper and regular examination of himself and seeking medical help before it was too late. It reminds me to this day of a more dangerous condition-sin- that creeps into our lives and causes spiritual death because of our lack of discipline and self-examination.

In the Old Testament we find that leprosy was a primary type or symbol of sin and death. Sin does to the soul what leprosy does to the body. As leprosy deadens the nerves, so similarly sin defiles the conscience. Leprosy was daily dying. Every day a part of you died, today a finger, tomorrow a toe until you became a mass of ulcerated malodorous growth. Sin is separation from God, from the only true life in Him and with Him. Separation from God is death—because life can only exist where God is present. When we live in sin we are living in state of spiritual death.

Just as lepers were forced to live outside the village or in a separated area, sin leads an individual to a fallen world life outside of the Church. The priest declared that a leprous person was unclean; similarly all sin is declared unclean by the Lord.

St Luke 5: 12-14

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

In this passage we see that Christ is the one who cleanses all mankind-if man is willing-from the leprosy of sin and all its effects. Just as the other miracles mentioned in the great Lent, it was the humility and complete faith of the leper that heals him. He did not doubt and knew that Jesus was capable of healing him. “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” was his plea. Jesus was moved by his faith and said “but “I am willing; be cleansed.”

We should review this passage in light of two other individuals who were healed of leprosy in the Old Testament.

Moses beseeched God to remove his sister (Miriam’s) leprosy. Even then the leprosy left her only in seven days. (Numbers 12:10-16)

• Just as Naaman the Syrian who was diseased with leprosy was cleansed by dipping in the river Jordan, so also we receive regeneration from sin by Baptism (St Gregory of Nyssa). Elisha we see did not touch him but only asked Naaman to dip in the river Jordan for cleansing. (2 Kings 5:1-19)

The immediate removal of leprosy was a testimony to the priests that Christ is above all and the healing was with His own divine authority. St Cyril of Alexandria writes that this is why in the end of Christ gives this command“Show yourself to the priest” to convince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is incomparably superior to Moses. Touching the unclean (leprous) was forbidden yet Jesus touched the leper possibly because of His compassion. Jesus also shows that He was above the Law as the leprosy did not affect Him but His touch cleansed the leprosy (sin).

“All things are possible to one who believes”, said Jesus (Mark 9:23). The only limit to the power of God in our lives is the limit of our own faith. David is presumed to be writing about healing him from the leprosy of sin when he writes “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow”(Psalm 51:5). He later goes on to add that God cannot and will not despise a broken and contrite heart.

This Lent let us humble ourselves before the Lord, admit our lack of complete and absolute faith and pray to the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. Let us continually examine ourselves lest sin deaden our conscience and cause us to live in a fallen world. Let us implore of the Lord before it is too late. He is capable and willing to say “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Questions for Meditation

1) Why is constant self-examination so important in this world we live in?

2) Why do you believe that Jesus“touched” the leper when his words were enough for healing? How has He“touched” you recently?

Author’s Information

Name: Joseph Mathews (Jobi)

Area: Houston (St. Gregorios Orthodox Church)

Number:281-235-2571

Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it