Prayer of the Day

Feast of St. Ita

Leprosy is still one of the world’s most stigmatized  diseases.  At the time of Jesus,  lepers had to live apart and ring a bell to warn people who might be approaching them.  That a leper should come to Jesus and plead on his knees for a cure meant that he must have heard that Our Lord had the power to heal all kinds of diseases.  But he still wasn’t sure that his terrible disease of leprosy was included.  Hence his plead as he knelt before the Lord; “If you want to, you can cure me.” What joy must have filled the poor leper’s heart when Jesus actually touched him and looking in his eyes spoke those words of mercy; “Of course I want to,  be cured.”   No wonder he went off to tell everybody the Good News of his complete healing.  He no longer had to shun people or feel excluded.

There are still many people in our society to-day who feel excluded, marginalised.  As Christians we are called to show them that kindness and mercy which Jesus always had for anyone in need.  Pope Francis in speaking about alms giving had this to say; “When you give alms do you look the person in the eye?   Do you touch the person’s hand or do you toss the coin at him or her?  A poor Church for the poor begins by reaching out to the flesh of Christ.” (Pope Francis – The Church of Mercy p. 114-115)