Deacon Greg's Homily 2-11-18
On top of Mardi Gras and the Opening of the Winter Olympics, there are two other celebrations that coincide today… It is World Day of the Sick and World Marriage Day. I know some of you are saying that only the Church, in its infinite wisdom, would have the sense of humor to combine the two, but I would offer that maybe they do indeed coincide in the marriage vow, promising to love and serve one another “in sickness and in health!”
We could take the obvious route here and do what Jesus said NOT to do... Celebrate the healing miracle of the man with leprosy, run through the town bragging about how our God is an awesome God, because look what he has done for us... But there’s an Elephant in the room, that we’re understandably afraid of in the readings today, as we must ask ourselves, “who are the unclean, and why are we afraid to touch them?”
The wound of leprosy kept the leper isolated from society. In our world today we have special places for refugees or the worst of prisoners. Not too long ago, we lived in a world with intentional sides of town, and special drinking fountains. There are subtle opinions in our midst that draw lines between us, treating one another as untouchables. We, in a way, still demand that if they want to live like that, they’re gonna have to stay over there!
But sometimes the wounds in our own lives cause us to sentence ourselves to isolation, keeping us away from the Church or from our neighbors. (USCCB on World Marriage Day) We feel that our sin, or our condition is so grave, that there’s no way we would ever be accepted... So we stay away!
So who are the unclean? As soon as I start to make a list of the “unclean,” I run the risk of offending, so I’ll ask you to do the listing in your own heart, as I share a part of mine. When I was in the Preschool and again in 3rd Grade, I experienced something that we all can relate with... Mean kids, and the nice friend who came to our rescue. Yes. It is that simple. I walk funny, and certain people had a problem with that. I’m sure most were indifferent to my reality, but there were those that laughed and even confronted me, stating the obvious... “You walk funny!” Some even took things to the extreme and teased and taunted, only to be interrupted by others who laughed from a distance saying, “Leave him alone and come on,” as they motioned their friends to come back to the other side of the playground, to climb the jungle gym. But in just about every case, I was blessed to know someone who simply came up to me, touched me on the shoulder, and said something like, “don’t worry, I’ve got your back!” To this day, I still reflect on these moments, which you and I know are quite common, and certainly not unique to people who walk funny.
Again, as much as it felt like it in the heart of a third grader longing to fit in, this doesn’t even come close to having leprosy, and being declared “unclean” in the days of Moses and Aaron. There were LAWS in place that declared them unclean, and there were places where they should go, to keep us away from them and their unexplained disease. Today’s medical science has classified leprosy as a single skin condition known as Hansen’s Disease, a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics.
By touching the leper in today’s Gospel, Christ boldly broke the law, reaching out to him in his isolation and offering him consolation in his distress. (USCCB on World Marriage Day) Jesus TOUCHED him, TOOK away his disease, and LOVED him, asking him not to tell anyone, but just show himself to the priest, who was the official that could remove this “unclean” title from his existence, allowing him to live within the community again!
So today, as simple as it is to say, we need to embrace the very difficult challenge of serving the sick, the poor and the abandoned… Like our Lord, we must dare to TOUCH and give them our true selves in our time, talent and maybe even our treasure. Pope Francis noted in writing of the Joy of the Gospel, that “everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love.” (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, no. 44)
Like the Christ, we too are called to TAKE their burdens upon our shoulders, without condition. In his Message for this year’s World Day of the Sick, the Holy Father reminds us that “[Christ] bestowed mercy and forgiveness upon all, and healed the sick as a sign of the abundant life of the Kingdom, where every tear will be wiped away… [We as disciples must] know that Jesus’ heart is open to all and excludes no one. The Gospel of the Kingdom must be proclaimed to all, and the charity of Christians must be directed to all, simply because they are persons, children of God. (Pope Francis, Message for the 26th World Day of the Sick 2018, no. 3)
Finally, like Jesus, we’re simply asked us to LOVE one another, where we are, in the best way we can… Dare I expand the familiar concept that many have promised to one another, to include all those we are called to serve: “In sickness and in health, til death do us part!’ Francis again reminds us in his Message on this World Day of the Sick, “The Church’s mission is a response to Jesus’ gift, for she knows that she must bring to the sick the Lord’s own gaze, full of tenderness and compassion… We cannot forget the tender love and perseverance of many families in caring for their chronically sick or severely disabled children, parents and relatives. The care given within families is an extraordinary witness of love for the human person; it needs to be fittingly acknowledged and supported… Doctors and nurses, priests, consecrated men and women, [lay] volunteers, families and all those who care for the sick, take part in this mission. It is a shared responsibility that enriches the value of the daily service given by each. (Pope Francis, Message for the 26th World Day of the Sick 2018, no. 6)
Last year, when the Holy Father asked us all to celebrate The Family, he offered this… “In a word, we are called to show mercy because mercy was first shown to us’. (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love, no. 310)
As we head into our Lenten Season this week, let us embrace this very challenging and central theme of our faith. Remember, it’s not supposed to be easy, but it’s also not supposed to be overly burdensome either…
TOUCH their lives!
TAKE their burdens!
LOVE THEM!
We could take the obvious route here and do what Jesus said NOT to do... Celebrate the healing miracle of the man with leprosy, run through the town bragging about how our God is an awesome God, because look what he has done for us... But there’s an Elephant in the room, that we’re understandably afraid of in the readings today, as we must ask ourselves, “who are the unclean, and why are we afraid to touch them?”
The wound of leprosy kept the leper isolated from society. In our world today we have special places for refugees or the worst of prisoners. Not too long ago, we lived in a world with intentional sides of town, and special drinking fountains. There are subtle opinions in our midst that draw lines between us, treating one another as untouchables. We, in a way, still demand that if they want to live like that, they’re gonna have to stay over there!
But sometimes the wounds in our own lives cause us to sentence ourselves to isolation, keeping us away from the Church or from our neighbors. (USCCB on World Marriage Day) We feel that our sin, or our condition is so grave, that there’s no way we would ever be accepted... So we stay away!
So who are the unclean? As soon as I start to make a list of the “unclean,” I run the risk of offending, so I’ll ask you to do the listing in your own heart, as I share a part of mine. When I was in the Preschool and again in 3rd Grade, I experienced something that we all can relate with... Mean kids, and the nice friend who came to our rescue. Yes. It is that simple. I walk funny, and certain people had a problem with that. I’m sure most were indifferent to my reality, but there were those that laughed and even confronted me, stating the obvious... “You walk funny!” Some even took things to the extreme and teased and taunted, only to be interrupted by others who laughed from a distance saying, “Leave him alone and come on,” as they motioned their friends to come back to the other side of the playground, to climb the jungle gym. But in just about every case, I was blessed to know someone who simply came up to me, touched me on the shoulder, and said something like, “don’t worry, I’ve got your back!” To this day, I still reflect on these moments, which you and I know are quite common, and certainly not unique to people who walk funny.
Again, as much as it felt like it in the heart of a third grader longing to fit in, this doesn’t even come close to having leprosy, and being declared “unclean” in the days of Moses and Aaron. There were LAWS in place that declared them unclean, and there were places where they should go, to keep us away from them and their unexplained disease. Today’s medical science has classified leprosy as a single skin condition known as Hansen’s Disease, a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics.
By touching the leper in today’s Gospel, Christ boldly broke the law, reaching out to him in his isolation and offering him consolation in his distress. (USCCB on World Marriage Day) Jesus TOUCHED him, TOOK away his disease, and LOVED him, asking him not to tell anyone, but just show himself to the priest, who was the official that could remove this “unclean” title from his existence, allowing him to live within the community again!
So today, as simple as it is to say, we need to embrace the very difficult challenge of serving the sick, the poor and the abandoned… Like our Lord, we must dare to TOUCH and give them our true selves in our time, talent and maybe even our treasure. Pope Francis noted in writing of the Joy of the Gospel, that “everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love.” (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, no. 44)
Like the Christ, we too are called to TAKE their burdens upon our shoulders, without condition. In his Message for this year’s World Day of the Sick, the Holy Father reminds us that “[Christ] bestowed mercy and forgiveness upon all, and healed the sick as a sign of the abundant life of the Kingdom, where every tear will be wiped away… [We as disciples must] know that Jesus’ heart is open to all and excludes no one. The Gospel of the Kingdom must be proclaimed to all, and the charity of Christians must be directed to all, simply because they are persons, children of God. (Pope Francis, Message for the 26th World Day of the Sick 2018, no. 3)
Finally, like Jesus, we’re simply asked us to LOVE one another, where we are, in the best way we can… Dare I expand the familiar concept that many have promised to one another, to include all those we are called to serve: “In sickness and in health, til death do us part!’ Francis again reminds us in his Message on this World Day of the Sick, “The Church’s mission is a response to Jesus’ gift, for she knows that she must bring to the sick the Lord’s own gaze, full of tenderness and compassion… We cannot forget the tender love and perseverance of many families in caring for their chronically sick or severely disabled children, parents and relatives. The care given within families is an extraordinary witness of love for the human person; it needs to be fittingly acknowledged and supported… Doctors and nurses, priests, consecrated men and women, [lay] volunteers, families and all those who care for the sick, take part in this mission. It is a shared responsibility that enriches the value of the daily service given by each. (Pope Francis, Message for the 26th World Day of the Sick 2018, no. 6)
Last year, when the Holy Father asked us all to celebrate The Family, he offered this… “In a word, we are called to show mercy because mercy was first shown to us’. (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love, no. 310)
As we head into our Lenten Season this week, let us embrace this very challenging and central theme of our faith. Remember, it’s not supposed to be easy, but it’s also not supposed to be overly burdensome either…
TOUCH their lives!
TAKE their burdens!
LOVE THEM!
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