To us, leprosy or any serious skin condition is a medical and perhaps a cosmetic issue. In Jesus’ day, by contrast, such things entailed social exclusion and sufferer became literally untouchable. Hence the shock in the Gospel: he touched him. Before congratulating ourselves for not being so “primitive,” it might not be any harm to ask who are the marginalised and excluded in our own time and culture? The categories are wide: socio-economic groups, ethnicity, orientation, religion. Are there people I never encounter?

Prayer

Where charity and love prevail, there God is ever found; brought here together by Christ’s love, by love are we thus bound. No race or creed can love exclude, if honoured be God’s name; our common life embraces all whose Father is the same. Taken from ‘Where charity and love prevail.’

K O’Mahony OSA