From the responsorial psalm: “By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 8:1-4)
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
As the leper approaches Jesus, he finds immediately in the Lord the words and actions that heal him. There is a flowing correspondence between Jesus, the Lord, and the leper who wishes to be made clean. In his homage of Jesus and in stretching out his hand, the leper is in every way receptive to the Lord cleansing him of his leprosy. The result of his faith was immediate healing. Matthew does not make explicit why Jesus says to the man to tell no one, except that showing himself to the priest and offering a gift was in accordance with Mosaic law. In instructing the man to show himself to the priest, Jesus restores his place within the community; in telling him to offer a gift, he sends the man off in a spirit of gratitude. Just as much, Jesus desires us to be grateful for the sake of glory.
God, help me be grateful today for every good gift you give me. Heal me, Lord, in body and spirit so that I can go through the day cleansed of anything that would obscure my sight of you, fully aware that you guide me and will for me to remain in you. Give me the wisdom to hold to this today and always. As Saint Irenaeus said, “Faith is established upon things truly real, that we may believe what really is, as it is. And believing what really is, as it is, we may always keep our conviction of it firm.” Saint Irenaeus, pray for us!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.