The Lord said to
Moses and Aaron, “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling or an
eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his
body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the
priests…; he is a leprous man, he is unclean; the priest must pronounce him
unclean; his disease is on his head. “The
leper who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head
hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He
shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean; he shall
dwell alone in a habitation outside the camp.[1]
Let us put ourselves in this man’s
place. One day, he sees this redness,
and a lump comes into his throat. He
observes it in the following days. It progressively
gets larger and larger. Others are
beginning to notice it. He has no
choice; he must go to the priests. He is
quarantined; and, after the quarantine, he is pronounced to be a leper. His greatest fear has come to pass. I would imagine it is much the same for many
people who receive the dreaded diagnosis of cancer. The proverbial carpet has been snatched out
from under his feet. The man will now be
an outcast. He must wear shabby clothes,
have his hair unkempt, cover his mouth, and cry, “Unclean! Unclean!” in order
that others may avoid him.
Now, let us imagine that the next day
another man presents himself to the priests; and, after his quarantine, he is
given the same diagnosis. He must endure
the same dress, cover his mouth, and cry out the same words. However, this man does something strange: He
raises his eyes to heaven, and gives thanks to God.
After he is cast out of the
community as a result of his leprosy, he encounters the other man in our
scenario. The first man sees the other’s
joyful spirit--not a ha-ha-ha, but a joyful disposition—and asks him, “How can
you be so joyful?” The other man
responds, “Because God is expressing his love for me.” This, at first blush, sounds ludicrous;
however, when we ponder upon it, it can be the beginning of a melodious
harmony. He sees his detriment as a gift
from God, a gift for his sake and the sake of others, to the glory of God.
The man realizes that he is adam, dirt. He deserves no good thing. Everything he is or has, in some way, is
given to him. Even his intelligence is
not his own; it was given to him. He realizes
that “nothing in the dispensation of God is found to be mean, and ignoble, and
contemptible. Such only occurs in man’s
arrangement.”[2] Therefore, he sees his disease as a gift from
God, to make him aware of his sinfulness, in order that his soul may be healed
upon his repentance. He, once again,
raises his face to heaven, his eyes glowing, and exclaims, “Draw me after you; let us make haste.”[3] Such is his desire to be
transformed into the likeness of the Lord.
He continues, “I am very dark, but
comely.[4] At this point, we hear St. Francis de Sales
intone, “Scruples arise from the memory of past sins; [therefore] she”—because the
man is a bride of Christ—"says: I am black (but the integrity of her
present conscience makes her add) but I am beautiful…”[5]
Now, in our passage, if we read the
verses preceding it, it is clear that the author is referring to a literal spot
on the person’s head. However, it is the
prevailing understanding that leprosy points us to sin. This is not to suggest that those who had no
leprosy were without mortal sin or venial sin.
The realization which should have come to mind to the non-leprous people
was: This is my state also. They were to
realize that they were no better than the lepers—perhaps worse. It was that the Lord chose the lepers to exhibit the condition of mankind. It is for this reason that the second man
rejoices. He knew that, due to his
sinfulness, he was deserving of every punishment possible, because he utilized his
mind--which he was given to do the things God had predestined—to do as he
pleased instead. He understood that God
is love; and, as a result of that, God had given him the disease out of love
for him. He realized that God was
drawing him to repentance in order that they could have union together. “I am very dark because of my sinfulness;
but, because I a yielding to You, submitting myself to You, You see me as
comely.” The man realizes that, even
when God punishes, he punishes because of His love. “My
son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when
you are punished by him. For the Lord
disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure.
God is treating you as sons…”[6]
Now, receiving the news of illnesses
is definitely not a consolation, but is a desolation. Archbishop Martinez instructs us: “In
addition to knowing desolation, we ought to love it. Is not one of our duties to the Cross, no
matter what it may be, to love it and to embrace it? The attitude of St. Andrew toward the Cross
ought to be the attitude of every Christian soul, and like him, we ought to say
to it: ‘Hail, precious Cross, which has been so long a time desired and so
intensely loved. Receive in your arms
the disciple of Him who effected His redemption on thee.’ To find our cross
ought to be an occasion of joy for us, as it was for St. Andrew. If we knew the value of the Cross, we would
receive it with open arms, since it is Jesus Christ whom we receive on it. Consequently, we ought to accept afflictions
with love and gratitude to the degree that we are capable, since they are a
gift from God, a great grace… ‘If we
have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil?
(Job 2:10)’ And with greater reason,
since they are evil only for our bodies; for the soul, they are favors, most
precious favors. As a general rule, we
ought to receive from God’s hand all that He sends us, without reflecting on it
and without regarding what He gives us. And
we ought to receive it with gratitude, for the sole reason that He gives it to
us.”[7]
The archbishop continues: “Let us
suppose that our Lord should appear in our midst and give to each one of us a
wrapped package. I do not know what is
in my package. But is it not true that
even before knowing its contents, I should receive it with great gratitude for
the simple reason that He gives it to me and that it comes impregnated with His
love? This is the way we should always
comport ourselves with respect to whatever Jesus ordains for us, and this is
the way we would conduct ourselves if we had faith. We ought to accept each day as He sends it to
us. It is a sealed package that He gives
us, and it comes charged with His love. Why do we disquiet ourselves by asking
whether today will be good or bad, whether it will be joyful or sorrowful? One thing ought to suffice: the knowledge that
Jesus sends it to us, and that it is a testimony of His love. Will today come with temptations, with illnesses,
with humiliations, with aridities? This
matters little, since it comes from God; that is enough. If we had faith!”[8]
Of course, the though might cross
someone’s mind: If this is the case, why ask for healings? Healings should enforce upon our minds that
God is willing to forgive our sins. On
the other hand, if he is not willing to heal, this does not connote that he is
not willing to forgive sins; it is because he is utilizing the continuing
suffering for our salvation and the salvation of others, for perfection, for
his glory. And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If
you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand
and touched him, and said to him, “I will; be clean.”[9] We learn from the Venerable Bede: Moreover, [the
leper] doubted of the will of the Lord, not as disbelieving His compassion but,
as conscious of his own filth, he did not presume. It goes on; ‘But Jesus, moved with compassion,
put forth His hand and touched him and said unto him, I will, be thou clean.’ It is not, as many of the Latins think, to be
taken to mean and read, I wish to cleanse you, but that Christ should say
separately, ‘I will,’ and then command, ‘Be clean’.”[10] In other words, if our Lord had said, “I will
that you be clean,” it would mean that it is God’s will that all diseases be healed. That is not the case. Because God is love, it is better for
humanity that not all diseases be healed.
This is not for evil, but for good, for the salvation of humanity.
Archbishop Martinez boldly says: “I
would be sure of the result, should this be said to any soul suffering from
desolation: ‘God has sent you this trial, and He wishes you to bear it; but if
you do not wish to do so, there is a way of being relieved of it.’ I repeat that I am sure of the result —
namely, that no soul would dare to say, ‘Yes, deliver me from it.’ We are not able to reject crosses without
opposing the will of God. The least to
do is to resolve to suffer, making a virtue of necessity. If we accept the trial willingly, so much the
better. And if our acceptance is loving,
wholehearted, and ardent, then it is best of all. To the degree that we accept desolations
willingly, to that degree will they be profitable to us. Even in human things, it is better to suffer
willingly than unwillingly.”[11] St. Paul exhorts us, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”[12]
– and we know how much the saintly apostle suffered from reading the Acts of
the Apostles.
Returning to Archbishop Martinez, he
goes on to instruct us: “Does not experience teach that all of God’s favors
humble, confound, and abase? This
self-abasement is the very essence of humility, love, and adoration. Nor need privileged souls be too greatly
concerned about not corresponding to grace” – (fear of not utilizing the grace
that God has given an individual). “To
be sure, if anyone looks upon his own nothingness, there is great reason to
fear; but, if he fixes his gaze on the goodness and the love of God, what is
there to fear? God gives ‘both to will
and to accomplish;’ yes, even the correspondence with grace is a gift of God. The soul that confides in Him will never be
confounded, and He who enriches the soul with the treasures of His love will
cause the soul to know how to profit from them.
Let not the espoused soul be fearful; her exaggerated fear will be
displeasing to the divine Spouse. Let
her place in Him an absolute confidence, unlimited and unwavering. Is He not able to protect her, even against
her own baseness? He is sufficiently
powerful, and He loves her too much to allow her to be unfaithful. Let her abandon herself completely to Him: to
His will, to His graces, to His love. Let
her engrave deeply in her soul that golden motto from the Psalms: ‘Cast thy
care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee (Ps 55:23).’ Cast upon Him even that care which seems so
proper, that of being faithful to Him; and God will take care of everything. Let the soul place in God’s hands even her own
correspondence with grace; let her make Him accountable; let her make Him
responsible for the use she ought to make of divine favors. Then He will take
care of everything, since her confidence impels Him.[13]
… The soul’s master, its interior director, its most faithful guide is the Holy
Spirit. To fulfill the designs of God,
to unfold that very intense life that the soul already possesses, it need do
nothing more than allow itself to be led by Him, follow His suggestions, and
let itself be moved by His tender and powerful inspiration; and all this at one
and the same time. What can the soul
fear in His hands? It abandons itself,
it gives way without resistance, without fear. It can do all things in Him who strengthens it
(Phil 4:13).”[14]
Blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no
iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.[15] I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not
hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord;” then
thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah.[16] Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O
righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart![17] It is for these reasons
that the second leper in our scenario is able to rejoice in his leprosy. Let us ask God for the grace to be likewise
and, when we resist, to overcome our resistance.
Archbishop Martinez relates a story
that I think is appropriate for us: “Somewhere, either in history or in legend,
I read that God once said to Tauler, that doctor of the Middle Ages, that He
was going to give him a master of the spiritual life. Tauler was to go to a certain church, and
there at the door he would find this master. Tauler went and encountered a miserable beggar
covered with rags. He greeted him and
bade him good day. The beggar answered
him, assuring him that all his days were good since God sent all of them to
him. Tauler understood the deep
spiritual doctrine that those words contained.
Truly, all days are good; but we judge them with a human measuring rod. One day pleases us: what a precious day! Another disgusts us: what a miserable day! We err. All days are good since, in each one of them,
God proffers the gift of His love, giving to us what is most apt for our
sanctification.”[18]
Somewhere in my readings, I came
across the Litany of Humility. I do not
recall where I copied it from, but I utilize it in my daily prayers. In that we are approaching Lent and also since
it is fitting with our topic, I will conclude with it.
O
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Make
my heart like yours.
From
self-will, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire to be understood, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the desire to be visited, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being suspected, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being abandoned, deliver me, O Lord.
From
the fear of being refused, deliver me, O Lord.
That
others may be loved more than I, Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.
That
others may be esteemed more than I, Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.
That,
in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Lord,
grant me the grace to desire it.
That
others may be chosen and I set aside, Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.
That
others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Lord, grant me the grace to desire
it.
That
others may be preferred to me in everything, Lord, grant me the grace to desire
it.
That
others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I
should, Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.
At
being unknown and poor, Lord, I want to rejoice.
At
being deprived of the natural perfections of body and mind, Lord, I want to
rejoice.
When
people do not think of me, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they assign to me the meanest tasks, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they do not even deign to make use of me, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they never ask my opinion, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they leave me at the lowest place, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they never compliment me, Lord, I want to rejoice.
When
they blame me in season and out of season, Lord, I want to rejoice.
Blessed
are those who suffer persecution for justice’ sake,
For
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[1]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Le 13:1-2, 44–46.
[2]
Tertullian, Latin Christianity: Its
Founder, Tertullian, 1885, 3, 440.
[3]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), So 1:4.
[4] Ibid.,
So 1:5.
[5]
Francis de Sales, The Mystical
Explanation of the Canticle of Canticles and The Depositions of St. Jane
Frances de Chantal in the Cause of the Canonisation of St. Francis de Sales,
Library of Francis de Sales, (London; New York; Cincinnati; Chicago: Burns and
Oates; Benziger Brothers, 1908), 3.
[6]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Heb 12:5–7.
[7] Martinez, Archbishop Luis M.; Worshipping a Hidden
God (pp. 185-186). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
[8] Ibid., pp. 186-187
[9]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Mk 1:40–41.
[10] Aquinas, Thomas. Catena Aurea - Gospel of Mark -
Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 623-627). Christian Classics Ethereal
Library. Kindle Edition
[11] Martinez, Archbishop Luis M.; Worshipping a Hidden
God (p. 191). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
[12]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), 1 Co 11:1.
[13] Martinez, Archbishop Luis M.; Worshipping a Hidden
God (pp. 212-214). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
[14]
Ibid., p. 220
[15]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ps 32:1–2.
[16] Ibid.,
Ps 32:5.
[17] Ibid.,
Ps 32:11.
[18] Martinez,
Archbishop Luis M.; Worshipping a Hidden God (pp. 187-188). Sophia Institute
Press. Kindle Edition.
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