Reflection for January 8, Friday after Epiphany: Luke 5:12-16

Gospel: Luke 5:12-16

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. 

Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them. The report about him spread all the more and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

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Reflection:

Why was the man with leprosy cured by Jesus? He was cured because he humbled himself before Jesus. The man sick with leprosy humbly pleaded to Jesus to heal him of his dreaded and contagious disease (Luke 5:12). What else did the sick man do? He was also crying while pleading Jesus to heal him. 

In His humanity perhaps Jesus was also wary of the man’s contagious disease. But when He saw the humility of the sick man Jesus suddenly throw cautions to the wind. Jesus stretched His hand and touched the man and during that instance he was instantly healed by Jesus. His act of humility facilitated the grace of healing from Jesus.  

There shall be time that we will also get sick for this is the reality of life. As we grow old we become more vulnerable to sickness. Would we also humble ourselves before Jesus? Would we also cry while pleading Jesus to heal us?  Of course we will do these so that we would be healed by Jesus. 

However it will not be all the time that we will receive healing from Jesus. Time will come that we will reach the end point of our temporary journey in this world. We will eventually cease breathing, what are we going to do by then? Should we stop praying? Of course not! For as long as we have consciousness we continue to plead Jesus. 

Not anymore for healing but for mercy and for forgiveness of our many sins. Let us not wait for that time for it may be years from now. Let us do it right now while we are still healthy, let us beg Jesus for His mercy and forgiveness for He will surely give it to us. This we could best do if we humbly submit ourselves to the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation.     

Will you submit yourself to the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation? – Marino J. Dasmarinas