Health
is wealth—it is true. Ask those who have
lost it, and you’ll know how sickness reduces one to a pathetic level of
poverty that’s worse than mere economic want.
That is why when we are blessed with good health we should do our best
to preserve it by using moderation in everything we do: no overeating,
over-drinking, overworking, over-playing, over-worrying—no over-anything. But there are those who—over confident of
their “great health” and “fantastic immune system”—dismiss sound health advice; when they finally fall ill and
are put on a diet they would continue indulging their appetites, reasoning that
“Me gamot naman eh!” (There are medicines anyway!). This attitude afflicts many people whether
they are learned or not, rich or poor, male or female, clergy or consecrated
persons. Then, when science or their
doctors give up on them, they run to Padre Pio, or buy a pilgrimage to Lourdes,
or light candles in some other popular shrine—begging for miracles. I actually know of a few terminally ill
persons who zealously did so, only to die without receiving the miracle they
prayed for. It is sad to see them die
with eyes open and mouth gaping wide, still hoping for healing.
The
healing of the leper by Jesus (Mark 1:
40-45) is a story with many layers to it.
Usually, we see only the level that is readily visible, and that’s the
kind of miracle people are wont to pray for—instant healing. But isn’t it rather disrespectful to live
carelessly—apart from Jesus—and then to ask Him to free us from the disastrous consequences
of our carelessness? It is, of course, unjust,
but we Christians are taught that there is also God’s mercy to beg for, and so
we go down on our knees and try to feel sorry for our sins.
Like
the leper we ask Jesus to “clean me”. Unlike
the leper, our skin may be clean but our souls may not be. Perhaps the leper’s skin is filthy but his
soul is pure—who can say? Note how he
recognizes the Lord’s power, aware of his own deplorable condition. And so the leper says, “If you wish, you can
make me clean.” Humble in his
helplessness he leaves it entirely up to Jesus to make him whole again.
When
we ask God to heal our bodies, why not first implore Him to help us clean our souls? And so we humbly say, as the leper does, “If
you wish…”
