He stretched out his hand and healed him
Hebrews 3:7-14
Mark 1:40-45
In today's gospel we see in Jesus' act of healing the leper not just his power but his compassion as well. He stretched out his hand and healed touched the man despite the man's repugnant and infectious disease. Jesus could have healed him with a word as he did the ten lepers. But with a touch he showed him how much he cared.
There is something else we notice in today's gospel. He sternly warned the man does not publicize what he had done. He knew how his act of kindness could be turned into an accusation by his enemies. He told the man: “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” Those who were so stark to the outside observance of the Law would not have ground to accuse him, even though if He the Son of man had cleansed the man, the man would not have needed any further cleansing according to Mosaic Law.
But the man in his excitement forgot all about Jesus' admonitions and instead went and publicized the matter everywhere, such that “so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places...” He thus caused inconvenience to his benefactor, even though we can understand that he did it with no intention to do so. Growth in the love of Christ requires from us such obedience to what he commands that we come to the point of not grieving his Spirit even in small and excusable matters.
