One Touch
Opening Prayer
Lord, what a loving and compassionate God You are! I want to share those same characteristics.
Read Mark 1:40-45
[40] A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” [41] Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” [42] Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. [43] Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: [44] “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” [45] Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
Why did Jesus heal this man with leprosy?You can see compassion throughout Jesus’ ministry, like growth rings through a tree trunk. Jesus never turned away anyone who believed that he could meet their need.
The man with leprosy was an outcast, cut off from contact with his family and community. Desperate and lonely, he approached Jesus for help. Jesus responded and healed him, not by words alone, but by touch—perhaps the first human touch the man had felt since his illness began. This is God’s powerful grace in action. A simple word and a simple, compassionate touch can be all that are needed to transform a life.
As Jesus’ followers, how should we respond to this example? Perhaps we should first look at our own hearts. Do we share Jesus’ compassion? Without it, we risk making empty gestures and being contaminated ourselves rather than opening the way to God’s healing power. The leper understood that, as a result of his healing, he was no longer condemned to being alone but was restored to his community. Small wonder that he couldn’t resist going out and telling everyone his amazing story.
Apply
How open are you to reaching out to someone outside your own family or community? Can you think of someone?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, I want to be the agent of Your healing power in the life of someone around me.
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