Transformed by the Touch of Jesus

Jesus speaks sparingly in Mark’s Gospel. He acts . . . quickly.  We are not even yet out of the first chapter and he has called the  disciples, rebuked demons, and healed Simon’s mother-in-law. Today,  the wonder-worker of Galilee stretches out his hand to the leper and  straightaway the leprosy leaves him. Little talking. Much doing. 

We have many of Jesus’ words. Thus we pay close attention to what  the Teacher said. But here in Mark, the process matters more than  the words—the calling, the traveling, the exorcisms, the healings, the  dying and the rising. This royal Messiah is a man of action. How can  we understand the Christ as the early Marcan community saw him?  Pay attention to the verbs. 

Jesus touches the leper. 

No Jew touches a leper. The diseased are unclean. The book of  Leviticus makes very clear that a leper is set apart: no hug, no tap  on the arm, no smoothing of the hair, and no rub of the back—no  touching. The man may not have felt a human caress of any sort for  years. He begs to be cleansed. And Jesus touches him. 

What then? Does the man tremble from the warmth flowing from  Jesus’ hand? Does a tingling fire awaken his nerves like the heat  from a habanero pepper? Do his eyes water? Does his skin burst  clean? What is it like to be instantly healed from leprosy? 

We hear the words—words go in, words go out—we’ve heard  them before; but can we imagine what it feels like to be touched by  Jesus? 

The saints depict the touch of God as a flaming arrow that burns  the heart, an inner swelling of love. Augustine says that he was  touched by God, and then burned for God’s peace. 

Jesus touches the leper. How could he possibly stay silent? 

Consider/Discuss 

• This Sunday, on which the secular calendar places Valentine’s Day, how  can we be more attentive to touch: human touch, divine touches in prayer,  the touch of the Holy Spirit through nature. What are the ways through  which God touches you in your life? 
• As we head toward Lent this week, try reading the whole Gospel of Mark  quickly. It’s short; it won’t take very long. Be particularly observant of the  process, the flow of action revealed through the verbs. What is the overall  arc, the big picture, of what Jesus is doing?

Living and Praying with the Word 

Jesus, we fall to our knees and beg you to touch us. Your  tenderness transformed the leper. Your touch has transformed our  lives. Open our hearts to experience your presence more deeply,  your holy caress, your living flame of love. Through your grace, we  leave behind words and turn toward your blessed silence. Send your  touch. Send your Spirit. Send your love.