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He Kissed 800 Lepers
Blessed John Paul II kissed 800 lepers, surely as Jesus would have done had He been there in John Paul's place. When one really thinks deeply about this gracious and brotherly act on the part of the Pontiff, one knows Jesus really was there among the Lepers and the Pope. Jesus tells us in Holy Scripture that he is among us, when we pray. Christ himself encouraged us to pray together: "For wherever two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). Blessed John Paul II's kissing of lepers was a prayer for healing for each one of the people, a sign of brotherhood and love. Of course Jesus was there. This is true without question. Jesus was present also when St. Francis of Assisi kissed the Leper as Thomas of Celano wrote in his Testament (Ch.7, 1st Life): "When I was in sins, it seemed extremely bitter to me to look at lepers, and the Lord himself led me among them and I practiced mercy with them." So greatly loathsome was the sight of lepers to him at one time, he used to say, that, in the days of his vanity, he would look at their houses only from a distance of two miles and he would hold his nostrils with his hands. But now, when by the grace and the power of the Most High he was beginning to think of holy and useful things, while he was still clad in secular garments, he met a leper one day and, made stronger than himself, he kissed him." This paragraph makes a unique point, that while Francis was still living in sin, he could or would not look at lepers, not even at their houses. Inevitably one must ask why? The answer is that when we are busy with ourselves, our own agenda, we generally have no time for anything else, least of all such a repugnant person. Lepers in the days of Francis were untreated as there was no medical treatment as yet invented to combat this terrible disease. In a National Geographic recording (VHS) concerning the Vatican, filmed on location at the time Bl. John Paul II was pope, Arturo Mari also tells of the encounter with the lepers in Korea, and makes a face of disgust in describing the stench emanating from those poor sufferers. It was my priviledge to visit the Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) Hospital in Carville, La., in 1996, with some Franciscans, and we shared a meal with a number of patients. Now with potent drugs, the stench and stigma of this disease are almost gone. This hospital was renamed in 1999 to: Gillis W. Long Hansen’s Disease Center. This disease has not been wiped out yet. In 2009, the World Heath Origanization reports about 244,000 reported cases. I am telling the stories of St. Francis and of Bl. John Paul II kissing of lepers in order to emphasize yet again that Jesus loves each single one of us as much as He loves His Father. Jesus loves to heal people, and he loves us to be a part of that healing also. He wishes us to cooperate with Him as much as we are able to. Let us be part of His solutions, rather than continue to depend on our own devices. As soon as we realize that we can do so much better, as St. Francis and Blessed John Paul II both discovered in their shared prayer life with the Lord, let us welcome Jesus in our lives and learn from Him. Many people ask me (and others in our parish, on the internet, etc.) to pray for specific intentions. Every day there are a couple that really need deep prayer. People ask me from time to time how I do this. Undoubtedly they ask because they have their own idea about the necessity and demand of a prayer life, and they want to be sure I pray for their intention with as much zeal as they would.... If this is so, I can assure you that the amount of prayer one does for intentions are not as important as the way you live your life. Sure, I pray, but I do pray in the conventional sense all day long. I pray 30-50 minutes in the morning and a like period before retiring, and when I can, I go to Holy Mass, and participate in parish ministries and apostolates. For those who are so inclined, and I recommend this to you, please make an effort to remember to ask Jesus each day if you may pray with Him, to the Father (Jesus intercedes for us to the Father, as Mary, the Mother of God intercedes for us with her Son, both with the help of the Holy Spirit. Then offer all that you do, that is, all the good that you do, whether in prayer or in work, and even in leisure, as a prayer for all the intentions of the day. Then you can truly say that you are praying all day long. For prayer to be effective it is not necessary to mumble specific prayers all day long (although I recommend praying the Rosary, which I should do more often), but to have the intent, and make the promise to pray constantly. To some degree we all kiss lepers, we help outcasts, many people have deep compassion and it shows in their prayer life and visual relationships with other people. We come into contact daily with people who need help. Maybe they are looking for money as so many do today, but prayer is also an effective cure. Prayer can bring things they will need to sustain their life and it is a Gift of God. Peace and all Good! Fred Schaeffer, SFO |
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