Jesus is Willing to Make us Clean. Friday 12th Week Ordinary Time

Breakfast With the Word Friday 12th Week Ordinary Time of the Year B

 

 Matthew 8:1-4 

 

 

 

There are times when we feel like God can never forgive us again. There are moments when you remember your pasts, and you think that what God is keeping for you is nothing but punishment. 

Sometimes at this point, some may conclude that there is no more hope of mercy for them. Sometimes our pasts continue to torment us. We are here today to tell you that Jesus is Willing to Make us Clean.

 

There may be something you might be facing presently, and you conclude that they are repercussions of your pasts, that God is punishing you and has refused to let go. 

This type of situation also would have been the thought of the leprous man today. But until He takes the courage to meet Jesus, He never knew Jesus is always willing to make us clean.

 

 

The Travails of the Jewish Leper.

 

The Jewish law regards leprosy as the coronavirus of our time. Upon diagnosis by the priest, they will ostracize and exclude the leprous man from any public gathering. 

They will force him to live outside the community and ban him from every religious activity. No one has anything to do with a leper. They treat such kinds of people with contempt.

 Moreover, the law requires any man with leprosy to dress like a mourner. He goes about yelling that He is unclean.

It happens so that whenever any non-leper come near to the leper, He will avoid any form of contact with him. 

Worst of all, many see the leper as a reprobate and someone abandoned by God. 

Lepers must live alone and live outside the camp (Leviticus 13:45-46). So in these situations, guess what the leper today would have thought:

 

1. I am already abandoned and unclean. There is nothing I can do. As many of us think, ” I am already a great sinner, I am poor, am hated, God has abandoned me etc., There is nothing I can do”.

 

1. The leprous man would have said again, “if I meet Jesus, He will not listen to me. He may treat me like trash since Jesus is also a Jew”. Sometimes we also already conclude that God is not listening to us because of how we are or what we have done.

 

1. He would have also thought this way “the people will not allow me to see him, they will jest me, and call me names since I am breaking the law.

 In the same way, many of us think that people will begin to jest them when they are serious with their spiritual lives and many more.

 

Despite all these, the leper broke the protocol and did not allow anything to prevent him from seeking Jesus. 

Jesus also breaks the law by not only giving him attention, which should not be. He speaks to him. 

Jesus does this not from a distance as we do but close. He proceeds further and heals him and to the extent of touching him. Imagine the kind of heart Jesus has.

 

 Read More

You are Born for A Mission: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

 

By Their Fruits We Shall Know Them. Wednesday 12th Week Ordinary Time

 

How to Live: Three Essential Guides to Living A Well-Meaning Life.

 

Do not Judge. Monday 12th Week Ordinary Time of the Year

 

He is Willing.

 

He is always willing to make us clean again if we can boldly, without a negative mind, ask Him to purify us. 

According to the Mosaic law, by touching the leper, Jesus himself was instantly made ceremonially unclean too. But Jesus never minded that. All He wants is to save.

Jesus is willing to make us clean. He wants to save us from that sin that is continually drawing us away from God. 

Jesus is willing to make us clean. Let us return to Him. He is not a wicked God.

Jesus is willing to make us clean. He wants to save us from that shame that continually keeps us away from people.

Jesus is ready to save us from that situation that makes us continually think negative of ourselves. He is willing. Cheer up and meet Him today.

 

Always Be Willing.

 

Like Jesus, always be willing to be there for people. Be always ready to wipe away their tears. Therefore, our call is to heal and not destroy, to help and not to kill.

As Jesus is willing to make us clean again, let us always be there for the needy. 

 

They may not necessarily need your money, but a single touch as Jesus does today. They may need only your prayers and encouragement.

 Instead of being a threat and pain to anyone close to us, let us try and be a consoler. Our call is to be a solace to others.

 

May He bless you and sanctify you. May He forgive our pasts and continually lead us to salvation. Amen.