Make me Clean, Lord by Beth DeCristofaro
Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5)
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. (Luke 5:12-13)
Piety
Lord Jesus, I know that you wish me to be your sister. Please make me clean so that I might be in deeper relationship with you, and with others in your name.
Study
What made Jesus so approachable? in today’s reading, the man suffering from leprosy knew he was forbidden to be in contact with “clean” people. Yet he came close to plead his case, as did the woman with hemorrhages, the Centurion, a tax collector, a woman foreigner and more. Perhaps it was desperation but something deeper led them to act on their impulse of self-preservation. Something in them called them to trust in Jesus, something which resulted first in healing then in faith. Or perhaps it was the other way round? Jesus often tells a supplicant that their faith has saved them. This is an illustration of the truth that when we desire God, we find God is already present.
Jesus was approachable first because as a poor working man, he was one of them, yet he was unmistakably not. He was born in a stable, poorer than most, yet John the Baptist identified Jesus as “there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:27) Jesus’ humility also drew people to him; after all, he cavorted with fishermen, sinners and spoke to anyone in need despite cultural prohibitions. And Jesus’ courage drew people to him because speak truth not only to the sinners he met but to leaders. Those who desired to be made clean, physically or spiritually, craving to know truth heard and believed. But above all was Jesus’ unyielding devotion to do God’s will and yet choosing to be an obedient, human son. “And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49) Jesus’ humanity itself made his divinity approachable.
Jesus was approachable for the same reasons we can be approachable. We, too can live out the best of our God-created humanity infused by the spark of divine, believing in and bowing to the presence of Jesus as Son of God. In light of these brief, holy encounters between Jesus and people in Scripture, our human actions and interactions can be sanctified in his name.
Action
In these turbulent, confusing and disturbing times, our first look should be to Jesus with the request to “Make me clean, Lord.” What within ourselves holds us back from being able to personify Jesus through our interactions? Do we hold onto something or have something against another? Do we lack, or do we suffer something which makes us unapproachable and causes us to not approach others as freely as Jesus allows himself to be? Make us clean, Jesus.
http://www.carmelites.net/blog/gods-garden-december-30-2019/
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