From your Pastor,

In the ancient world, leprosy was a horrible disease of the skin which caused the person to be marginalized from family, friends and the general community. Not only did a leper have to deal with the pain of the disease, but he or she also had to endure isolation, loneli- ness, fear, hatred and judgment. Leprosy had no cure. The Old Testament saw this sickness as a punishment from God for the sins committed and was ritually unclean.

It was up to the temple priest to determine if someone had the disease. If the leper touched someone else, that person would be considered sick until the priest determined otherwise. It was up to the priest to determine if a person was healthy and able to return to the community.

The leper in our gospel broke many rules to be close to Jesus. He came inside of the community; he broke the boundaries he was supposed to keep. The leper knelt before Jesus and begged him to be made clean. “If that pleases you, if you wish...” Jesus ap- proached him and with a touch, he cleansed him saying “I do will it, be made clean.” The Leper doesn’t ask for healing, but to be made clean. By asking to be clean he is asking to be restored fully and completely: physically, religiously, socially and financially.

By kneeling before Jesus, he is showing his trust and faith in the Lord, Jesus. In this situation, when the leper is being touched by Jesus, the love of Jesus becomes conta- gious, more than the sickness of the leper. Jesus himself, even though he touched the leper, does not become sick. His divine love and compassion overcame the power of the disease.

When Jesus healed him, he asked the leper to keep the miracle a secret. However, the newly healed man didn’t keep the secret. He told everyone about Jesus and his power. His message spread throughout the community. This man was one of the first ones to preach the gospel of Good News.

Let us ask the Lord to keep bringing physical healing to our world today – to help us to be clean and to grow in holiness. Like the healed leper, let us not keep Jesus in secret but instead talk about him and his life to everyone we meet.

Sincerely,

Rev. Miguel Gonzalez

De parte de su Pastor

En el mundo antiguo, la lepra era una horrible enfermedad de la piel que provocaba que la persona fuera marginada de la familia, los amigos y la comunidad en general. Un leproso no solo tenía que lidiar con el dolor de la enfermedad, sino que tambien tenía que so- portar el aislamiento, la soledad, el miedo, el odio y el juicio. La lepra no tenía cura. El Antiguo Testamento veía esta enfermedad como un castigo de Dios por los pecados cometidos y era ritualmente impura.

Correspondía al sacerdote del templo determinar si alguien tenía la enferme- dad. Si el leproso tocaba a otra persona, esa persona sería considerada enferma hasta que el sacerdote determinara lo contrario. Correspondía al sacerdote determinar si una persona estaba sana y podía regresar a la comunidad.

El leproso de nuestro evangelio rompio muchas reglas para estar cerca de Jesus. Entro dentro de la comunidad; rompio los límites que se suponía debía mantener. El leproso se arrodillo ante Jesus y le suplico que lo limpiara. “Si te agrada, si quieres...” Jesus se acerco a el y tocandolo lo limpio diciendo “Yo quiero, se limpio”. El Leproso no pide curacion, sino ser limpio. Al pedir estar limpio, esta pidiendo ser restaurado total y completamente: física, religiosa, social y financieramente.

Al arrodillarse ante Jesus, esta mostrando su confianza y fe en el Senor. En esta situacion, cuando Jesus toca al leproso, el amor de Jesus se vuelve contagioso, mas que la enfermedad del leproso. El mismo Jesus, aunque toco al leproso, no enferma. Su amor y compasion divinos vencieron el poder de la enfermedad.

Cuando Jesus lo sano, le pidio al leproso que mantuviera el milagro en secreto. Sin embargo, el hombre recien curado no guardo el secreto. Les hablo a todos sobre Jesus y su poder. Su mensaje se difundio por toda la comunidad. Este hombre fue uno de los primeros en predicar el evangelio de la Buena Nueva.

Pidamos al Senor que siga trayendo sanacion física a nuestro mundo de hoy, para ayudarnos a estar limpios y crecer en santidad. Como el leproso sanado, no man- tengamos a Jesus en secreto, sino que hablemos de el y de su vida con todos los que nos encontremos.

Sinceramente,

Rev. Miguel Gonzalez