Implore

Today’s Gospel Text: And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. Mark 1:40-45

A HAPPY FEAST TO ALL AT DD (DEDICATED DISCIPLES/HIP)

St. Anthony the Abbot: pray for us!  

Reflection: There are several ways of asking; and so too goes the popular saying, beg borrow or steal.

In the gospel we have had instances of asking by way of a demand, asking with a sense of confidence, asking with faith, asking by way of pleading and imploring.

Similarly we have situations of the majority who may have never asked of Jesus, either because they did not value the presence of Christ Jesus as a savior or they felt that their doctors or advisers did a better job or because they lacked the trust or were too ashamed to even ask lest they be looked at as beggars or maybe they looked down on Christ and felt that they could do better or they honoured him much and that was faith to them.

In the gospel we have a beautiful instance of asking by way of imploring the Lord: “.. a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." (vs. 40)

The scripture describes the scene so vividly to us in so many words that we are able to picture it right before us:  First is the attitude wherein he comes beseeching.  It shows humility and a great sense of faith in the Lord who alone can do it for him.

Then as if it was not enough he kneels down as if to implore him to do something about his problem.

Then instead of demanding from the master, the man who seem to have a broken spirit from the years of torture due to rejection, isolation, loneliness and pain, pleads with the Lord: “If you will”

Can the Lord who came to save that which was lost ever refuse a heart that leaves it to his will? If he did that to an outcast leper will he not do it to you and me who come to him with such humble, contrite heart and a broken spirit.

Rightly does the Psalmist say: “.. a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”  Ps 51:17

Prayer: “Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Ps 51:11-12

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