Mark 1:40-45 (NRSV)
Read Mark 1:40-45 on biblegateway.com
Verse 40A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Verse 41Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Verse 42Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Verse 43After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, Verse 44saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." Verse 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
Devotion
Filled with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the man with leprosy and said, "I do choose, be made clean." Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. A leper who was physically and spiritually unclean went a mile to ask for healing; the Savior went two miles to touch and heal him. Jesus made him clean. Jesus broke the boundaries of that time in order to touch and heal an unclean person.
It is not always easy to walk two miles, to break the boundaries in our society, but our Lord has done that. He calls us as his disciples to be his hands and feet. We are called to be his living witness in this broken world.
Prayer
Lord, give us your heart of compassion and courage to touch and bring the message of healing and hope to those who are in need. Amen.