Sermon from February 24, 2008
Eugene Ver
Matthew Chapter 8: 1-4
1 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; 2 and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Please join me in prayer:
“ Holy God of grace, who is ever-present among us, open our minds and our hearts that we may receive the words of your Spirit. As we know you are still speaking, help us to become better listeners as we continue our journeys toward knowing you better.
May the words on my lips and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O God.
In your many holy names, we pray. Amen.”
One of the many gifts I see in our children is their delightful ability to use their imaginations. The youngest among us has hardly begun to acquire the judgments, the complex lenses and the filters through which we, as adults, interpret the world around us. Let us look to their example as I invite you to imagine, for a moment, that I happened to stumble upon an ancient scroll in the dusty basement of the Divinity School library. In translating it from the original Aramaic, it reveals the personal account of a young man who had leprosy, a dreaded disease not uncommon in the time of Jesus.
Lepers were the ultimate outcasts of society. They were shunned and left to live outside the confines of the village. Families were torn apart. The laws of the Torah were used to declare them “unclean,” making them unable to participate in any form of religious worship or celebration.
Lepers became disfigured over time. Anyone who touched a leper was also declared unclean and could only reenter the temple after a series of ceremonial purification baths, cleansing rituals and sacrifices. Being unclean was a great source of shame and meant one was unworthy to stand before God.
This morning, I was chased from the marketplace. Dogs were barking and nipping at me as I ran. Children were throwing stones and calling me awful names. I was so hungry, but no one would offer me food. I was thirsty, but no one would offer me drink. I begged, but my cries went unheard. People walked to the other side of the road to avoid me. They look at me with great suspicion and fear, as if I could make them diseased and unclean.
I have no place to live but outside the city walls, alone in a tent. I beg for scraps of food, like a common dog. I feel so homesick for my family. I miss the comfort of my warm bed, the smell and taste of mother’s delicious home cooking, and the, loving hugs of my parents and baby sister.
Today, the most amazing thing happened. A most wondrous miracle happened when a man, named Jesus, of mysterious and great power came to preach in Galilee. I knelt down in front of him and asked that I be healed if it were his wish. He smiled at me and reached out his hand and gently touched my shoulder. This was the first time anyone had touched me over two years! I will never forget his voice as he looked directly at me and said, “I want you to be well.” When I saw that I was cleansed and healed, I knew he was the Messiah, the holy one of whom the prophets had spoken.
Not only had this leper recorded this miraculous event in his diary, but three of the four gospels writers recorded it. In fact, of all the healing miracles performed by Jesus, this was the only one reported in all three of those gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke.
In today’s scripture from Matthew, we read:
and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Notice how the word “clean” was used instead of “healed.” Leprosy was thought to be a punishment for spiritual sickness or sin. Thus, it required “cleansing” in ancient Jewish society rather than healing. Today we know it is caused by bacteria and can be cured with antibiotics.
This healing is remarkable in a number of ways. First, that Jesus should stop and speak with a leper was unheard of, especially by a rabbi. Secondly, as Jesus was deeply moved with compassion, he reached out and touched the man, a highly forbidden act according to the cleanliness laws.
Jesus certainly didn’t need to touch him. We certainly have heard of many healing performed by Jesus where touch was not required. Here, however, Jesus made a clear and intentional point of reaching out and touching someone who was declared untouchable by the rest of society. With his words, he declared it was his wish that healing take place.
This recognition and touch were a healing connection with someone who had been shunned and avoided for a long time. Jesus knew of the young man’s isolation and feeling abandoned. His touch offered much more than the mere healing of a physical disease. It was a clear sign of inclusion, of love and of acceptance.
Who are our modern day lepers? Today, those with HIV/AIDS come the closest to the lepers of Biblical times. Those who afflicted with the virus
Perhaps some of us here have felt like lepers at one time or other in our lives. A number of us may know what it feels like to be excluded from a group, or to feel like an outsider when others don’t include us or avoid us.
Some people who have been divorced may recall times where they felt conspicuous among those who are married, perhaps left out of social events where they may somehow be seen as competition for the spouses of others. Others who have been widowed may sometimes feel like a “fifth wheel” and not fit in with couples that they used to social with.
Today, many smokers feel like outcasts in a society where smoking is no longer accepted in most places. There are elderly people, as well as others with various disabilities who often report feeling invisible and ignored by people who fail to make them feel welcome or included in events.
Many people who are gay or lesbian report feeling like outcasts or lepers in a number of situations.
I recall a personal story from about 4 years ago when my partner, Paul and I were on vacation in the Bahamas. We were staying at a very nice resort, which advertised time-shares they were building and hoping to sell. The resort offered a $75 gift coupon to use anywhere in the resort for anyone who took a tour and listened to their sales pitch.
Paul and I signed up, along with several male/female couples. When the tour began, each couple was assigned a guide, but Paul and I were asked to sit on a bench and wait. After 30 minutes or so, we were approached by the manager who told us, “We are not prejudiced, but we simply cannot sell a time-share unit to people like you.” We were assured we would get the $75 coupon anyways, but we were not allowed to tour the facilities with the other guests.
I remember feeling like a leper, unworthy and unfit to be among the other guests. It was a painful reminder of how it feels to be excluded, singled out, and pushed to the side.
In my spiritual journey, it has been healing for me to come to know a God who calls me by name, who welcomes me with open, loving arms and who has called me to be a servant among God’s family. God has blessed me in many ways as I strive to follow the example of Christ in my life.
Let me share another story of a mysterious event that happened shortly before I heard God’s call to enter seminary. Paul and I were standing in the backyard one evening in summer. It was one of those gloriously clear days with a deep blue sky and radiant sunshine. It was about 7 in the evening and the sun was already low in the sky. From high up in front of us suddenly appeared a pure white bird, a dove, which flew directly towards us. I am glad Paul was there to witness this, because I wonder if anyone would believe me otherwise. As this dove flew, I remember the incredible beauty of the sunlight glinting through the wings of this bird. It was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve seen. The bird flew down to us and flew a circle around us, then landed on the roof of our house, looking down at us. It’s important to understand that Paul is not a religious person; he is a recovering Catholic who doesn’t attend church. When this bird was flying around us, he gasped and asked, “Is that the Holy Spirit?” Wide eyed, I responded, “It sure is something!” I felt a wonderful sense of affirmation and love. I’ll never forget that event as I continue my journey toward knowing God’s truth.
One of the things that first attracted me to UCC was the importance of social justice and the welcoming of everyone to God’s table. I see this as opening the doors to the diversity of God’s creation, including people of any race, cultural identity, ethnicity, or sexuality.
For anyone who has felt like an outsider at one point or another, for those who have been pushed to the edges of society, those who are oppressed or discriminated against, the hand of God is there, reaching out, touching you, making you whole.
Jesus deliberately reached out to the leper, someone whom others labeled as “untouchable” and demonstrated unconditional love and acceptance. How can we, as the living body of Christ, extend our arms and accept anyone who wishes to join us in celebrating the good news of the Christian gospel?
How do we, as a church community and family, welcome people to our church? Do our words and actions demonstrate the same love and acceptance that God has shown us? We are instructed to love our neighbors as Jesus has loved us. Our neighbors are disabled, our neighbors are gay, our neighbors are black, our neighbors are immigrants.
Let our words and our actions towards others reflect our love for God. Let us welcome and include people who, on the surface, may seem different from us. Our similarities are so much greater than any human labels or perceived differences. Let us follow the example of Jesus who freely reached out to those who were rejected by everyone else in society. Let this truly be a church for all God’s people.
2 and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose. Be made clean!"
Please join me in prayer:
“O God who created us in your many divine images, help us to demonstrate the openness of Jesus in reaching out to accept and love those who have been labeled and cast aside by society.
Create in us an attitude of willingness to listen to the stories of others without judgment, and to reflect to all around us the loving compassion and grace you have shown us.
Help us dismantle the artificial barriers and divisions that separate us from one another. Teach us to build the church you dream of, where all your beloved children are welcomed and accepted equally heirs to your divine kingdom.
Through Jesus Christ, and in your many holy names we pray. Amen.”