He stretched out his hand and touched him

“A leper came to him, begging him, and kneeling, he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can  make me clean.’  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him,…” (Mk 1:40-41a,NRSV)

What Jesus did was a pretty radical thing for his time.  To touch an unclean person was to make one’s entire person unclean and required separation.  Jesus choose to take that separation upon himself.

Touch is one of the biological mechanisms that helps us form and sustain close bonds with other human beings, bonds essential for our survival.  It’s long been known that touch is essential to the flourishing of newborns.  But, it’s gotten complicated with fear of harassment and influenza.  And yet, touch is built in to our liturgy.  The time after the prayers and before the offertory known as The Peace builds in an invitation to shake hands or share a brief hug or pat on the back.  To insiders, it’s easy.  To the visitor, it’s immensely complicated. Let compassion and sensitivity rule the moment!

These days, to talk about or suggest touching another person is a topic fraught with land mines.  Yet, touch is often a necessary part of healing ministry whether of the physician or health care provider.  The orders of our faith are passed on through the laying on of hands from bishop to confirmand or ordinand.  Oils of baptism and of healing are shared by making the sign of the cross on one’s forehead with an oiled thumb.  The same action places ashes on our foreheads as a reminder of our dustiness.  To touch is to break down boundaries and barriers.  To touch is to both deny and to abandon the safety of personal space.  To touch both allows and accepts vulnerability.   Following the pattern Jesus set for us, touch in these traditional, appropriate ways transmits the intimate grace of God.

“Moved with compassion, 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.”

Jesus’ touch allowed grace-full compassion to transform the leper’s disease into wholeness overflowing.  Anyway, to be clean, to be outwardly unafflicted and whole made one eligible to be restored to the fellowship of the community.  Healing, wholeness, even our very salvation are intimately woven together, as close as Jesus’ touch to the leper.

O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength.  By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may know your touch of your hand; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Shalom, 
the Rev. Mary Slenski