Shame and fear are never good reasons to stay away from God. Angelo Canta, S.J., reflects on how shamelessly placing ourselves before the Lord opens pathways to healing. Based on the readings for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 11, 2024.
Perhaps we could be a little more shameless. Hi, I’m Angelo Canta, and this is my one-minute reflection.
The man begged Jesus, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” And Jesus responded, “I do will it. Be made clean.” It seems like it all happens in an instant. But, as the first reading tells us, the man had to follow very strict laws around leprosy. He risks rejection, embarrassment, and even worse just by going up to Jesus. Yet, perhaps he thought the risk was worth it. He acted shamelessly.
But, Jesus’ response is shameless, too.
He knows that he’ll become ritually impure just by being around that man. In spite of it all, Jesus draws close and heals him anyway. He removes the man from his place of shame and restores him to a place of belonging.
Maybe we could learn to be a little bit more shameless in our own relationship to God. Today, let’s allow ourselves to approach the Lord without shame in our desire for healing. And perhaps we, too, can receive Jesus’ shameless and loving response, “I do will it. Be made whole.”
