When the Saints faced persecution and sinfulness, they responded with stoicism, charity and (in some cases) cheerfulness.
In the Bible we are told many stores about how lepers were healed.
And I have been thinking about that today.
In the Western World, we have levels of hygiene and available medication (for the most part) that means that we do not really understand what leprosy really is. In the developing world and in ancient times, leprosy was a disease that signalled the death of everything and resulted in a slow painful degeneration of the individual to the point where their body was covered in infected sores and lesions and these would become increasingly infected until the limbs upon which the sores had formed would literally rot off.
Now, one can image the smell associated with that sort of infection and the indignity of being isolated in the disease so as to prevent the contamination of others.
Even in modern times, in the developing world, there is misunderstanding about the measures that must be taken to prevent the spread of the disease. In reality, personal hygiene along the lines of washing hands thoroughly with soap and water and treating a person infected with this disease while wearing gloves, is sufficient to prevent the spread of the disease from one person to another.
During Biblical times, the disease was so feared that there were rules about how close a person infected with leprosy could stand to another person. These rules were in place to protect the healthy population from that disease.
And I have been thinking about that today, because though people may fear leprosy for the stench and contamination of the disease, it is sin that is the real thing to be feared.
You see, it is not unusual to find bad behaviour congregating together… If my husband is angry with me and raises his voice impatiently at me, it is likely that I will retaliate by raising my voice back. If someone speaks to me disrespectfully, I will often respond with equal disrespect (or at the very least) I will think disrespectful thoughts about that person.
In other words, when people make bad choices to sin in my presence, it is far more likely that they shall INFECT me with their sinfulness than that I shall infect them with my goodness…
And when I stop to think about that today, it occurs to me that this is the opposite of the activity of the Saints. When the Saints faced persecution and sinfulness, they responded with stoicism, charity and (in some cases) cheerfulness.
And understanding that today I understand that there is so much in my life that I have yet to change, else I shall be considered a leper after death, and my Beloved will stay away from me because I shall be covered in the infection and sores of sin.
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.