"The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
Leviticus 13: 43-45

To be a Christian is to be contagious 

He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest…
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

Every time I read and hear the healing of the Leper (today’s gospel), I always want to say to Jesus- ‘Come on, man!! ‘What do you expect?  What would anyone do who is set free from the bondage of a disease or sickness that has held one in total chains?  Who can hold it in?  Every good news is best shared.  We just want others to know. Good news is contagious.
 
Throughout history, every age grapples with diseases it does not understand and that evoke panic among people and worse still ostracization of the victims. Think of HIV, SARS, Avian Bird Flu, Ebola or the virus we are dealing with right now, today. For the ancients in the scriptures, the disease to deal with was ‘leprosy’. It was extremely contagious, spreading through sores which penetrated the skin. It produced boils, burns, scalp disorders, face eruptions, baldness and whiteness of the skin. There was also the smell or odor it produced. 

Worst of all, however, was the social judgement and stigma its victims underwent. They were ostracized, seen as impure, sinful and to be rejected. They were to ‘dwell apart’ from the community.
 
The determination of the disease’s active or inactive state belonged to the priest who exercised his function, not as a physician, but as the judge/interpreter of the law, whose favorable decision was required before purification rituals permitting reentry into the community could be initiated. 

When a case was doubtful, a period of quarantine was imposed. During this time of uncleanness, the diseased person had to remain outside the community and give notice of their condition to the unsuspecting through customary signs like: torn garments, flowing hair or the repeated cry: ‘unclean, unclean! ‘What an awful state of life!

Think for a moment about conditions or situations that put many people under chains. These may not be outright diseases, but conditions of life that subjugate many. For example, poverty, social discrimination, judgement of others, classifications, etc., these create ‘borders and barriers between people in society. They force many to see themselves as less, useless or unworthy. They force many to isolate and ‘dwell apart’. Many hunger to be free, many thirst to be made ‘whole’ or to be part of something.

God’s action and plan from the beginning is to make all ‘whole’ again. Holiness implies wholeness. The mission of Jesus is to set free.  So, when the leper approaches him (the one who should be avoided and not touched), Jesus does what God always does and that is; he stretches out his hand and touches him. He breaks the rules of Leviticus if they be ones that constrain others. He is here to break the power of evil and nothing will stop him.

The Good news that Jesus preaches is a ‘movement towards others’. It is never insular nor individual nor self-centered. The good news is to be shared, it must be passed along, therefore ‘contagious’. It must go everywhere to everyone.
 
How might we be part of this new force of Jesus? A force or spirit that frees others? 
By our baptism and confirmation, we are missionaries of the Good news. What barriers must we break or confront to spread it. Are there barriers often times hidden in our hearts especially when we are not ‘moved with compassion’ for others?
 
What barriers of injustice do we notice? Where is joy stunted for many today? Do we even care? 

Remember, the Good news we receive must be shared and contagious.

-Fr. Anthony