Monday, October 11, 2010

The Ten Lepers

Today at Mass, our associate pastor gave a very insightful homily regarding today's Gospel reading(Luke 17:11-19).   He began by focusing on something which I often don't really think about: leprosy.   Anyone who reads the Bible has at one time or another encountered a passage that deals with the subject of leprosy, but do we ever stop and think about what leprosy meant to someone in Jesus's time?  Or even to someone of our time who lacks the necessary resources to be cured?  Well, here's an idea for you:
For a better understanding of the technical aspects of the disease click here.
Leprosy is horrible, painful, slow, hideous, divisive, lonely, depressing, and so much more to the person afflicted with the disease without a hope for a cure.  

Take a moment to think about that.   Really.  Think about it.

That is what sin does to our souls.  It slowly eats away at the life within us.  It cripples us.  It isolates us from what is good.  It leaves us alone and without hope.  We are in pain.  There is no escape.

Sin brings doubt, fear, distrust, anger, selfishness, loneliness, restlessness, despair, sickness, and suffering.

Enter Jesus!

He lovingly and persistently offers a way to be healed.  It is not an easy way.  It is a way of sacrifice.  A way of martyrdom.  But it is a way of supreme joy and love.  It is such a beautiful thing to be healed and alive!   There is such a peace in knowing that you are no longer decaying from within.  Thank you, Jesus!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That picture is gross as hell. Just sayin'...

Adolfo said...

Thanks, T.

We need reminders like this. At least, I do.

Anonymous said...

Thank GOD for leprocy!

anonymous girl said...

Are you kidding me? "Sin" does not do what leprosy does. Leprosy truly eats your body. Sin only metaphorically "eats" you -- and, I believe, only if you believe in the concept of it.

Peregrinus said...

Actually, in many ways, I would say that sin is much worse than leprosy. The consequences of sin not only cause deep and lasting spiritual wounds in the soul of the sinner, but they also affect others, even down through generations.

Anonymous Guy said...

Anyone dumb and cruel enough to post this as a means of bible thumping, rather than as medical insight/information deserves to be tied down and beaten. It is outrageous and disrespectful that anyone would take a picture such as this, of a man who has clearly suffered (and will continue to do so for the rest of his life), a person who you CAN NOT possibly relate to, and post it saying that "this is what sin does to your soul". I sincerely hope that no heaven waits for people such as thee. I don't want them to be in my afterlife.

Peregrinus said...

Dear Anonymous Guy, I am truly sorry that you found this post cruel, disrespectful, and lacking in compassion. It was never my intention to in any way belittle or exploit the suffering of the man pictured.