(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)
JESUS TOUCHES THE UNTOUCHABLE
The lepers in the time of Jesus were untouchable. They had to live apart from their communities, and even from their families. Being sick with leprosy was considered a punishment from God because of their sins. Lepers were considered unclean. Those who were touched by them, or who touched them, would become unclean.
If I had to make a list of my most favourite passages of the Gospels, there is no doubt that Mark 1: 40-45 would be almost at the beginning of the list.
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: «If you want to, you can cure me». First of all, he should not have approached anyone. He broke the law. And for the Jewish people the law was everything. But, feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. Jesus knew that by touching an unclean person he would become unclean. What shakes me inside is that Jesus could have cured him at a distance. But he voluntarily broke the law and touched the leper. And the leper was cured with a touch. With a simple touch, and lots of compassion and unconditional love.
Today there are around us many untouchable people. A few days ago I heard a Muslim engineer saying that 80% of what is said on TV about Muslims is negative. The Gypsies are another community seen with suspicion. Blacks and other colours are supposed to live apart. They don’t belong. And other minority groups like gays, the homeless, the poor. This creates a profound sense of loneliness. Nobody can function well in loneliness. Life is about relationships.
Fr. Tony Kadavil tells the following story.
Michael Kirwan, a longtime member of the Catholic Community Worker Movement in Washington DC, who was highly respected for his work of feeding and caring for the homeless in that city, once told the story of how he began his work:
«One night I brought down a large gallon plastic jug of split pea soup and set it down on the cement block near the heating vent where the poor and the homeless people gathered. A rather rough looking fellow picked up the jar of soup by surprise and in one motion broke the jar over my head».
Instead of running away, I asked the man why he had done that. These were probably the first words I had ever spoken to any of them.
He told me that I was doing nothing more than bringing food to the dogs. I was bringing food, setting it down like out of a pet dish and then just walking away.
He said: «Talk to us. Visit us. We don’t bite».
From what happened that night, Michael said, I realized that these men and women on the street only wanted to be loved and respected and listened to. They cared that someone cared about them, but just giving food and a blanket was not enough.
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
14/02/2021
DID YOU KNOW? – Lent begins this week!
Lent begins this coming week on Ash Wednesday (February 17th)! Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter.
Good Friday falls on April 2nd, and Easter Sunday falls on April 4th this year.
Did you know that Lent is not only observed by Catholics? It is also observed by other religions such as: Anglicans, Easter Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, Moravians, and Presbyterians.