In Jesus’ time many people believed that the honor and shame of a person or family was dependent on many factors, including health. Good health was a sign that God had shown favor to the person, while ailments, either physical or mental, meant that one (or one’s family) had sinned. Leprosy was one of the ailments that many people associated with sin. Lepers lived on the fringes of society, as their disease was contagious and incurable. While we may feel that we do not stigmatize people because of their illnesses or handicaps, today’s reading invites us to look a little closer.
A disease like lung cancer, for example, might be seen as the end result of an addictive habit. Diabetes might be seen as the result of poor eating choices and exercise habits, or AIDS as a result of sexual behavior or drug use. These types of suppositions are not limited to just physical diseases. Some may view poverty as the result of a series of bad personal choices or a lack of personal drive rather than the result of systemic injustice. Until recently, few ever dared speak of the heavy burden of mental illness for fear of being thought of as “less than.”
How often do we confuse a person with his or her ailment? Or age, physical ability, looks, or favorite brand of clothing? That is not Jesus’ way—nor, Luke is saying, should it be the way of those who claim to follow Jesus.
The story is set in the context of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem which is a metaphor for a Christian life. Jesus’ journey, and so our Christian life, includes welcoming the ten lepers. Remember, Jesus breaks all conventions and violates what people of his time considered to be good sense in welcoming these lepers who were outcasts, not just because of some cultural prejudice, but because of a real danger to the community’s health. The point is that no one is beyond the healing love of Christ.
Luke pushes it even further. One of the ten lepers is a Samaritan, someone doubly outcast because he is both ill and a foreigner. Luke does not immediately tell us that the leper was a Samaritan; he waits until the man returns to thank Jesus. The others have done only what was required of them, what Jesus reminded them to do: show themselves to the priests who had the authority to readmit them to normal society.
Through the sacrament of reconciliation, the Church facilitates our return from the “leprosy” of sin. We are not just welcomed back; as part of the Church, we also have the task of facilitating and encouraging the return of others.
- How can you be an instrument of healing—physical, emotional, or spiritual—in someone’s life?
Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International.