In today’s gospel we have a simple story of an encounter between Jesus and a leper. The leper did him homage and said: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus indeed desired to cure the leper and the man was made clean. Then Jesus said: “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
If I had been cured of such a great illness, I would be bouncing off the walls and telling everyone. I might even forget to show myself to the priest. I would put it out there on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, see if I could get myself booked on CNN, Fox, late night shows… I would testify!
It does make you wonder about Jesus’ instructions to the man. Given this is early in the public ministry of Jesus and in context, Jesus has just finished the Sermon on the Mount in which he has claimed a lot of authority. Numerous times Jesus said, “You have heard it said” referring to the teachers and rabbis of Israel, “…but I say to you” claiming authority as the interpreter of God’s Word. I am sure Jesus is aware that “they” are watching. In the vein of “actions speak louder than words” Jesus directs the man to fulfill the requirement of Leviticus so that the priests can see and declare the man clean. Hopefully convincing the authorities, but in any case, drawing them into the growing chorus of witnesses to the person of Jesus.
In our modern times we absolutely need good and faithful Catholics who have mastered social media and testify widely across millions. But let us never sell short or underestimate the power of one-on-one testimony. We witness and the Spirit of God takes over from there.
“A sower went out to sow…”
Image credit: “The Sower” Vincent van Gogh (June 1888), Van Gogh Museum, Public Domain