Calvary Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Debra May Cerra
February 15, 2009

Psalms 30:1-12 (NRSV)
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." 7 By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed. 8 To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication: 9 "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!" 11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Mark 1:40-45 (NRSV)
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" 42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44 saying 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." 45 But 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.

I Do Choose

            The little guy was so cute – running around the large hall. It probably was his first wedding. Only two and a half, he looked so grown up in the little tuxedo and shoes. When the music started, so did his hips. He swayed and swooned like Elvis himself! Like the Energizer bunny, he kept going and going and going.
            But – eventually he did begin run out of steam. You could see it coming. He’d dip and then sit down on the floor. He’d sway but sway a bit too far…and lose his balance. Finally his mom walked out on the dance floor. When he saw her coming, his arms went up – fully extended towards the ceiling. His mom had a choice: walk him back to his seat or pick up the little darling and carry him. She chose to put him in her arms. As he snuggled his sweaty brow into her neck, everyone around smiled. How wonderful to be chosen like that – swept out of your weariness and carried to safety. How extraordinary to be so loved!
            This morning our reading is about Jesus making a choice. “A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.” (40-42)
            Jesus did not have to reach out to that leper. He didn’t have to heal him. Like the mom of that toddler, Jesus has a choice. Filled with compassion and love, Jesus knew that in reaching out to this man, he was not just touching his body; Jesus was touching his heart.
            Make note of this: Even though every healing is a miracle, the impact of Jesus’ action in this case is not necessarily the healing. The importance of this moment is the touch he gave to the leper. No disease was regarded with more terror and pity than leprosy. The fate of a leper was truly hard. E. W. G. Masterman, in his article on leprosy in the Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, says, "No other disease reduces a human being for so many years to so hideous a wreck."
            Though the Jewish laws categorized any skin condition as leprosy, true leprosy was incurable. When one was diagnosed with leprosy, it rendered the sufferer unclean. This person was banished from the fellowship of neighbors and had to dwell alone outside the camp. A leper had to wear torn garments. It was mandated that this person have unkempt hair and a covering over the lower part of the face. Whenever anyone came near a leper, “Unclean, unclean!” had to be cried to give warning of his or her polluted presence. A leper not only bore the physical pain of the disease; this person had to bear the mental anguish and the heart-break of being completely banished from human society and totally shunned.
            Jesus knew about the laws that pertained to leprosy. Jesus also knew that this man had broken the law by speaking to Him. And Jesus knew touching the leper was also taboo. Yet, Jesus did not drive the man away. Instead, Jesus met the desperate cries of this man with understanding and care. When the man cried out to Jesus: “If you choose, you can make me clean,” (40) Jesus answered, “I do choose. Be made clean!” And Jesus reached out and touched him. Jesus boldly placed love and compassion over ritual and regulation.
            As Jesus touched that leper, chills ran up the spines of those watching. The people thought: “What is Jesus doing? He knows what Torah said. He knows the law. Doesn’t He care that our religious laws have be broken?
            As Jesus touched that leper, spears of indignation were thrust into the hearts of the religious leaders. The scribes and Pharisees thought: What does He think He is doing? He knows what Torah said. He knows the law. Does Jesus think He can get away with breaking our laws?
Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was an early contributor to the field of counseling. He believed that people are social creatures and need interaction with one another to survive. He held to the religious principle of "Love thy neighbor." Adler believed that the social environment in which a person is raised affects his or her personality. A lack of human contact and interaction will make it difficult for an individual to have healthy relationships and can result in the person having an inferiority complex.
For Adler, a "malajusted" child is not a sick child, but a very discouraged one. When a person suffers from discouragement, they need love, hope, and support. They need to be "touched" by other human beings. In other words, anyone who is isolated from the community in which they live will not only feel inferior but could even develop certain neuroses. Thus they are labeled "sick." 
Alfred Adler believed that people needed to be "touched" and included socially to develop healthy lives. His theory was in direct opposition to Sigmund Freud's, which was popular at that time. Adler introduced an entirely new concept, one that requires a loving contact between humans.
This concept emerged from his own childhood experience. As a small child Adler was clumsy and children made fun of him. He developed "rickets" at an early age, a despicable disease during the 19th century. He spent much of his early years isolated from his peers. Because of his lack of coordination and weak condition he was run over by a horse and wagon, not once but twice.
Adler understood the need to be touched. Fortunately for him, his parents were extremely supportive and very social people. With their help, not to mention their faith, Adler was able to rise above his situation and encourage his followers to do the same. Like the man in our story, he too could say, "Jesus touched me," and made me whole.
            Friends, Jesus sees our real value – our thoughts and our deeds rather than our outside appearances. Even if our body is diseased or deformed, we are no less valuable to God. Jesus wants to embrace each child, each person, with His love and care.
Think back to the way lepers were treated. Isolated, shunned, banished from society. They had no value; they were nothing more than the walking dead. In a sense, aren’t we all like lepers? We may not be shunned by our family and friends, but we have been deformed by the ugliness of our sins in one way or another. There are times of that we feel isolated; that we sense we have been shunned; that we don’t fit in with society. That’s where the Good News of Jesus Christ intersects our story. In God’s compassionate love, God takes care of our sinful nature. God sent God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to touch our sin-infested hearts and give us the opportunity to be healed. Jesus accepts us for who we are – from the inside out. With great compassion, Jesus helps us change our ways. Jesus leads us to repentance so we can be restored into a right relationship with Him.
Every Sunday after a time of confession, an assurance of forgiveness is proclaimed. Then Pastor Alfred or I say: “Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel.” In your answer, you admit to knowing that Good News. Think about your response: “In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.” This is good news; great news; healing news; news that touches our hearts and our souls!
Think back to that little guy at the wedding reception. When he could no longer go on; when he had run out of steam, when he couldn’t find his way back, what happened? His mother came to his rescue. She picked up her little boy and tucked him into herself.
That’s was God, in Jesus Christ, does for each one of us. No person is too tired, too lost, or too far removed to experience God’s touch. God’s touch is compassionate and loving. God touches our hearts and heals us of our sins. God makes us whole through the unconditional love of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
Let Christ touch you today! Let the extraordinary love of Jesus touch you and heal you. Remember the promise that we profess each and every Sunday after we confess our sinful ways and hear the pronouncement of forgiveness:
“Friends, believe the good news of the Gospel.”
…”In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.”
Amen and amen.