Our Leprosy

In the developing countries of today's world, there still exist the dreadful disease called leprosy. If we were to see this lady in the picture sitting along the streets and as we walk pass her, she grabs hold of our skirts or jeans and looks into our eyes, pleading for our help, what would our reaction be? Some of us might stare back at her compassionately, seemingly understanding her pains and sufferings. Some of us might get a shock and quickly jump aside in fear. Some of us might look at her suspiciously and quickly walk on and escape the awkward situation. Yet, some of us might have spotted her from a distance and made a detour to avoid her from the start. Thankfully, Medical Science has discovered the cure to this disease that immediately throws the victim into isolation, discrimination, rejection and complete worthlessness. Yet, many people are still suffering from leprosy because the cure has not reached them. 

If we think that leprosy is a disease that plagues those in the poorer countries and has little relevance to us, I'd like to propose that we consider a different type of leprosy, that which, in place of the sores and rotting flesh, is the rotting of our hearts due to sins and the hardships, sufferings and hurts that we bear each day. Our hearts and lives are being "eaten" away, alongside with our passion for life, our concern and love for our neighbour and the hope for a meaningful life etc. We suffer, in the developed countries, a different type of leprosy; a leprosy that eats up our quality time with family, removes our energy throughout the day at work or school so that at the end of each day, we are left with only the frustration of another day of ill-treatment of life's meaningless rat race. It is a leprosy that eats up our eyes that once saw more readily beyond our needs to those of others, a leprosy that eats up our legs that once walked without boundaries the extra mile for a friend or stranger, a leprosy that eats up our hands that once extended less suspiciously to help another, ears that once were more willing and patient to listen, shoulders that once more selflessly supported another, lips that once spoke the language of love. And our hearts... leprosy is eating it up. Our hearts that once were more focused on goodness but have grown to seek out for more in life in cash and lifestyles, finding the direction of how to get ahead of others. Our minds are filled with sores too... the bubbles that contain the secularised values of the world but once burst, all becomes nothing but fluid flowing out. 

The physical illness of leprosy is easy to cure but not the leprosy of our lives. Yet, Jesus offers us His cure, the only cure, that of Himself. And He wants to cure us so that we can be healthy again in our hearts, minds, souls and lives; healthy again so that we may find true meaning and fulfilment in our pilgrimage on earth. Jesus does not see a leper and shuns him. He does the exact opposite - He embraces and heals the leper. He is always compassionate, always loving, 

always merciful, always providing for our every need. If we want to be healed of our pains and sufferings, if we want to be made complete again and to experience the joy of life, we have to go to the Healer, asking Him for His mercy, love and compassion, pleading for His Divine Providence to touch our hearts, our lives and to grant us His complete healing. Only with faith, patience, genuine love for God and humility can we rejoice one day of being "clean" again. Jesus wants to hold us in His 

hands, to comfort and love us, to heal and to purify us, to walk with us and lead us. Despite our many sores in our lives, He does not shun away from us. He wants to hold us in His hands but we must place ourselves in His hands. 

Will you take this hand and go wherever He leads you?

Saturday 26 March 2011

8.44am