Mark 1:38-45: a reflection

38He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons. 40A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” 41Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.

A leper, an outcast forbidden by law to come near others, dares to approach Jesus, kneels, and says, If you are willing, you can make me clean. He does not doubt Jesus' ability, only, perhaps, his willingness to bother with someone like him. And Jesus, moved with compassion, does something startling: he stretches out his hand and touches the untouchable man, saying, I am willing. Be made clean. The leprosy leaves him at once. Jesus touched the one no one would touch, and made him clean.

Notice both the compassion and the touch. Jesus is moved with compassion for this outcast, and rather than healing from a safe distance, he reaches out and touches him, the very thing no one else would do, the thing that by the law rendered one unclean. But instead of Jesus becoming unclean by the contact, the leper becomes clean. And to the man's uncertain if you are willing, Jesus answers plainly: I am willing. His compassion moves him to touch and to heal.

That answers a question many of us quietly carry. Like the leper, we may not doubt that God can help, but wonder whether he is willing to bother with someone like us, whether we are too unclean, too far gone, too much trouble. Jesus' answer to the leper is his answer to us: I am willing. He is not reluctant, not repelled by our uncleanness; he is moved with compassion, and willing to reach out and touch and heal. If you have wondered whether Christ is willing to help someone like you, hear his word to the leper: I am willing. Come to him with the leper's confidence, and know that his compassion reaches out to touch even you.

Lord Jesus, when the leper knelt and said, if you are willing, you can make me clean, you were moved with compassion, touched the untouchable man, and said, I am willing. When I wonder whether you are willing to bother with someone like me, too unclean or too far gone, speak that word to me: I am willing. Thank you that you are not repelled by my uncleanness but moved with compassion, willing to reach out and touch and heal. Give me the leper's confidence to come to you. Reach out your hand to me, and make me clean.