While everything is encased in ice, along the forest edge where the winter's strengthening sun strikes, the ice has begun to recede and a low growing moss is appearing. The ground hugging plants have a language all their own, and I am reminded of the first lines of last Sunday's Gospel.
A leper came to Jesus beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said, to him, "I will; be clean." Mark 1:40.
The first reading from the same Sunday, (Leviticus 13:1-2; 45-46) told us that the leper was a marginal person who had to live outside the community. He or she even had to shout out a warning to others if anywhere near others.
We might imagine this loneliness was the greater suffering - even greater than any physical pain. But this fellow seems to be particularly brave or maybe just fed-up with the alienating rules which he breaks, coming up to Jesus, full of hope. He doesn't doubt that Jesus can cure him; he's throwing himself upon the willingness of Jesus.
Notice though that even before he speaks a word, the leper kneels down in front of Jesus. That wordless gesture of close proximity says: "Please accept me." We understand. The little moss on the woodland margins, struggling to spring up from under the heavy ice, as down to earth as possible - is an imagine of "Please accept me."
Lent is the Church's Springtime. It is the season of heart-stretch. Who is saying, even wordlessly, please accept me?
- The young people in school who are terrified when sides are being chosen for a game: Please accept me.
- Does the baby in the womb have a wordless impetus of Please accept me?
- The orphan infants who can't let go of the volunteer: Please accept me.
- Of various sexual orientations: Please accept me.
- The Christians from the ten countries where persecution is extreme: Please accept me.
- The special needs folks and their parents: Please accept me.
- The people who think they are losers, who think they ARE the things people call them: Please accept me.
- The families desperate to find a home away from the famine, the bombs, the terrorists: Please accept me.
- Maybe we're not even acceptable to ourselves - holding something old, mistaken or sad against ourselves.
Jesus touched the fellow with his hand, but all the more he touched him with his tenderness. We can do that too!
