“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him."
- Luke 5:12ff.
The scriptures we hear in these days after Epiphany are intended to manifest, or “show forth” who Jesus is. It all began by people thinking of Him as a young man from Nazareth, the son of Mary and Joseph, who worked as a carpenter, and who was gaining a reputation as a rabbi. During His three years of ministry there was gradually revealed a much deeper truth about Him; namely, that He was the Messiah, and in fact, God Incarnate.
As He began to teach and show His power through various miracles, gradually His disciples came to believe in Him. Of course, at the beginning their belief was incomplete, but they knew that He was more than a carpenter from Nazareth, and more than a rabbi. The veil was being lifted, and their understanding began to grow.
On the Friday after Epiphany the gospel tells us of His healing of a leper. Whereas people normally would give a wide berth at the sight of a leper, our Lord actually touched the leper who approached Him and He made him whole and clean.
The very act of having contact with a leper was remarkable – and illegal. Lepers were cast out from society, driven from their homes and loved ones, and forced to live apart. Their physical condition was horrifying, as the disease caused disfigurement and the decaying of extremities. Those who suffered from leprosy were regarded as being already dead, and could have no human contact other than with other lepers.
But the leper we see in this gospel was different. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit to approach Jesus confidently and humbly, asking that he might receive healing.
Our Lord grants this request. And not only that, but He demonstrates the great love of God by physically touching the leper. It was Divine Love which met this man's misery, and in so doing our Lord spoke with more than words. The leper was made clean, not only physically but spiritually too. In that encounter we see that God is love, and because of that fact, we can all come to Him with our needs, knowing that He will cleanse us and make us whole.