Gospel in Art: If you want to you can cure me

Jesus Heals the Leper, 2014, © Ann Lukesh Artist

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 11 February 2024
Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: 'If you want to' he said 'you can cure me.' Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. 'Of course I want to!' he said. 'Be cured!' And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, 'Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.' The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.

Reflection on the painting

In many of the healing stories in the gospels, Jesus heals people by means of his word alone, 'Be healed'. In today's gospel reading, however, Jesus also touches the person. According to the Jewish Law the leper should not have approached Jesus or anyone who didn't have leprosy. Yet he did approach Jesus. He thus took a risk and broke the law. The leper didn't doubt Jesus' power to heal him but he doubted Jesus' desire to do so: 'If you want to, you can cure me'. Most people would have run from an approaching leper. However, Jesus was different. He stood his ground and healed him. And he didn't just heal the leper with his word, as he could have, but he first reached out to touch him and only then spoke his healing word. In touching him, Jesus released him from his isolation, even before he spoke his healing word. Jesus touched the untouchable.

Our painting by Ann Lukesh portrays the intimacy with which Jesus performed some of his healings. Each healing was a special, unique moment between Jesus and the healed person. No crowds needed or wanted. The substance of Jesus' ministry was compassion, not power and spectacle. Our painting conveys the touch and warm embrace that Jesus had towards everyone, even those whom the Law prohibited from mixing with the rest of society.

There is never any doubting about what the Lord wants. He wants us to have life and have it to the full. All he needs from us is something of the daring initiative of the leper in approaching him. If we come before the Lord today in trusting faith, nothing in our lives need come between us and the Lord's healing presence.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-1-40-45-2024-2/