Would You Kiss A Leper?

Would You Kiss A Leper?

Good Morning Friends,

Yesterday at church we were singing a hymn entitled, “Will You Come and Follow Me,” which recounts Jesus summoning the disciples, and one of the verses asked, Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen? One of the choir members suggest I write a devotional on the subject perhaps because he thought it might be a challenge. So here goes. A devotional on the power of kisses. Would You Kiss A Leper?

Scripture: Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

Psalm 85:10 (NRSV)

Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. And he ordered him to tell no one. “Go,” he said, “and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.” But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.

Luke 5:12-16 (NRSV)

Message: Modern culture has a lot to say about kisses. Songs, poems, movie and TV shows are filled with kissing. There are stories about kissing frogs and princes and ogres in our fairytales. But kissing is cultural as well as personal. Both must be considered in determining what is appropriate for the moment and situation. Politicians kissing babies seems as normal as apple pie in the United States but in other countries I am not sure it would be looked on favorably considering its potentially being an exploitive, emotionally manipulative moment. Still friends, the Bible has a lot to say about kissing that should enlighten us and maybe even encourage us as to the practice. Jacob kissed his father Isaac and received the blessings intended for Esau. Later Esau kisses his brother and wept and embraced him despite the betrayal. Joseph kisses his brothers who sold him into slavery. Samuel anoints Saul as the first king of Israel with a kiss. David kissed Johnathan as a bond of brotherhood. In the story of the prodigal son, the father overjoyed with the child’s return kisses him. Paul instructs the brothers at Corinth to greet each other not with a handshake but a holy kiss. The only romantic kiss that comes it mind is from the Song of Solomon. And scripture recounts two instances of Jesus being kissed: Once as a sign of devotion by a former prostitute and the second as a sign of betrayal by Judas.
But despite my looking I could not find scripture of anyone healing a leper with a kiss. From a Biblical perspective Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur. In today’s scripture the leper who met Jesus did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection. But Jesus met the man’s misery and rejection with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words.  He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well. The true sign of the Messiah. And so then the kissing of a leper might cause no small disgust and horror for the Jew. Interestingly it was not until several centuries later that Saint Francis connects the story of healing a leper with the giving of money and a kiss in his own calling. It is a transformative story of discipleship that Pope Francis mirrors in kissing a disfigured man a few years ago. Friends, sometimes words are not enough to communicate the significance of how we feel. So a kiss can be used when words are not enough to communicate the significance of the moment. That is what makes it transformative. That is what heals. Here it is the Holy Spirt in our hearts with the love of Christ that compels us.

Pray we have the courage to do what the moment requires. Pray we be open to the radical charity of a healing kiss. Pray we realize that a kiss can signify respect and honor or love, fidelity, a deep emotional attachment, joy or sadness and loyalty or betrayal. Pray we realize that a kiss can mean different things, but a true kiss, as if kissing Jesus, can bring many benefits and eternal blessings. Pray the power of Jesus’ love absorb our hearts. Pray we realize that it is the love of God that compels us to love the unlovable and to touch the untouchables. Pray we realize that perfect love overcomes death and the fear of death. Pray we are willing to follow Jesus when called to love. Pray we offer charity whether it is seen or not.

Blessings,

John Lawson