Spiritual Leprosy

Let's review some of what we learned from the last post:

• There are some differences between the modern definition and the biblical, though there is much overlap. Most instances in the Bible refers to a variety of infectious skin diseases. 
• Hansen's Disease is what is considered by some the modern equivalent and is still a major health problem in many parts of the world. Many think it is a disease of the skin but it is actually more accurately classified as a nervous system disease as the bacteria actually attacks the nerves. 
• Symptoms start in the skin and peripheral nervous system but spread to other parts of the body. It can cause tumor-like growths called lepromas on the skin and respiratory tract and the optic nerve may deteriorate. These changes in the nerves cause damage to pain receptors can lead to a total loss of physical pain.
• It does not kill, but neither does it seem to end. Instead, it lingers for years.  
• The Law of Moses required lepers to be quarantined. They were considered unclean. The mere touch of a leper brought uncleanness, and breathing the same air was believed dangerous. As such, they were cast out of society and dwelt in special places or colonies in the wilderness. Lepers could not come within  cubits of any Israelite, even more if a wind was blowing. There were also strict rules for ceremonial cleansing. 

Most Jews of Biblical times considered leprosy a mark of spiritual uncleanness. For the sake of the metaphor, let's just call it sin. So sin is a neurodegenerative disease- it leads to loss of feeling and potentially loss of vision. In lepers, the loss of pain receptors can cause catastrophic injuries since they can't feel when they have been injured- they could hold their hand in a fire and not realize it because their body can't signal them anymore. Lepers would often lose a finger or toes because they didn't realize they were cut or infected or frozen. 

Sin likewise blocks our signaling channels- the Holy Ghost, our spiritual neurons. As we sin and remove ourselves from his influence, it becomes harder and harder to recognize when something isn't right. Many people think pain is a bad thing. While I agree that it isn't fun, it's absolutely necessary. The body uses pain to alert us to problems- like a smoke alarm. It lets us know which actions are safe and which shouldn't be repeated. 

Similarly, spiritual pain alerts us to what is good and what shouldn't be repeated. When we feel guilty, it is our spirit telling us that it shouldn't be repeated. It doesn't mean that we're a bad person to feel guilty, it's really a great thing- it means our spiritual neurons are working and if we pay attention to those feelings and act on them, not only can we avoid future feelings of guilt (which no one enjoys!) but we'll also move in the right direction, toward becoming more like Jesus Christ. 

When we feel guilt but don't act on those feelings, rather continue in sin, leprosy begins to erode our pain receptors. We don't like feeling guilty so we start to block it out, we push those feelings and the Spirit away so we can feel better. Little by little we lose the ability to feel and the risk of damage shoots up. We could be doing things we know isn't good for us, sticking our hand in a fire, but we don't feel it so we keep going. 

But there is hope! Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus healed lepers, and although he no longer walks the road of Palestine he still reaches out his hand to heal. We don't have to go through the same rigorous cleansing process as in ancient days, but there is a way to rid ourselves of the stain and pain of sin if we will humble ourselves and come to the Savior in repentance. 

He Touched Him

Think of one of the miracles of Jesus. There are a lot to choose from. Perhaps you thought of raising Lazarus from the dead, healing the ten lepers, feeding the five thousand, or healing the woman with the issue of blood merely by touching his garment- grand miracles to be sure. But that's not what I want to write about today. I want to write about a man whose life was forever changed by the Savior, but a man that up until recently I had pretty much always glossed over. He's not a main character; he's got a very minor role- only two verses in Mark, but those two verse have changed my life.

"And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
"And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean."  (Mark 1:41)

In my recent studies of the New Testament I have noticed that it often isn't just a healing; I have paid particular attention to the phrase "moved with compassion" that often accompanies the miracles, and that is what really caught my attention in these verses. Christ's compassion led him to TOUCH the leper. 

As I pondered this part of the miracle, I did some research about leprosy and learned some interesting facts that I believe are important in our understanding of this miracle:

• There are some differences between the modern definition and the biblical, though there is much overlap. Most instances in the Bible refers to a variety of infectious skin diseases. 
• Hansen's Disease is what is considered by some the modern equivalent and is still a major health problem in many parts of the world. Many think it is a disease of the skin but it is actually more accurately classified as a nervous system disease as the bacteria actually attacks the nerves. 
• It is spread not only by skin contact but also by droplets from the upper respiratory tracts. 
• Symptoms start in the skin and peripheral nervous system but spread to other parts of the body. It can cause tumor-like growths called lepromas on the skin and respiratory tract and the optic nerve may deteriorate. These changes in the nerves cause damage to pain receptors can lead to a total loss of physical pain.
• It does not kill, but neither does it seem to end. Instead, it lingers for years.  
• The Law of Moses required lepers to be quarantined. They were considered unclean. The mere touch of a leper brought uncleanness, and breathing the same air was believed dangerous. As such, they were cast out of society and dwelled in special places or colonies in the wilderness. Lepers could not come within  cubits of any Israelite, even more if a wind was blowing. There were also strict rules for ceremonial cleansing. 

So this man had been quarantined, possibly for years with very limited contact with others. Who knows how long it had been since he had had any physical contact of any kind. Imagine never being able to touch another person- no hand on your shoulder to reassure you, no handshakes, nothing. What a lonely existence.  It wasn't meanness that led to his isolation; it was a legitimate concern that the infection would spread. Which is what makes the Savior's act even more fitting- He was the ONLY one that could touch him, the only one that didn't have to be concerned with whether or not he would catch the disease. And so it makes sense that the Savior's compassion would lead him to touch him; He recognized that what this man wanted was to be healed- to remove the malady, but what his soul needed was to feel connection, to feel for just a moment that he wasn't so alone. So the Savior did what only He could do, and in loving compassion He touched him. 

There are times in my life where I feel isolated and alone, not because anyone is choosing to exclude me, but because those around me are unable to include me. I think we all face these type of quarantines in one way or another- feeling alone when coming home from serving a mission, watching all of your friends getting engaged while you're single, facing infertility. Like the people around the leper, there isn't really anything those around us can do to reach out and touch us. But Christ can. He can take away the heartache and the loneliness. And one day, someday He will also heal us.

Each of us have our own leper camps, times in our life where we feel completely isolated. I testify that as you come to the Savior's feet and plead with Him, "[being] moved with compassion, [He will] put forth his hand, and touch [YOU]" when no one else can.