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Catholic Charities USA
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Readings of the Day
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Today's gospel is the healing of the leper. The first reading
illustrates the seriousness of the leprosy. A person with leprosy was
seen as defiled, a sinner and ostracized from their community. The
public acknowledgement and being considered unclean added shame and
despair in addition to the physical pain the individual was
encountering.
These feelings of defilement are felt by all of humanity today as a
result of our sinful nature which causes us to feel ostracized from
our community with God. We often feel unclean and shame about things
we have done and failed to do. Despite these feelings, Jesus stretches
out his hand to each of us through the Eucharist to heal us, overcome
our sinful nature and make us clean. To receive this grace of the
Eucharist and be welcomed back into the heavenly community, we must
ask for it and be open to it.
Jesus and His graces are in every part of our lives, especially those
"deserted places." We must go to those places in our lives
that feel like a desert and look for Him because He is there. Whether
it is helping a young mother with her child, a family in grief
counseling, or an immigrant or refugee to feel at home, we meet people
in their most deserted places when they come to Catholic Charities. It
is there where we get the opportunity to meet people in the places
where they feel the most deserted and extend our hand as a vehicle of
God's love and grace for each human being He created. Through
that extension of love and grace, God gives it back to us in return
through the individuals we are privileged to serve.
Brian Smith is the Director of Parish Engagement for Catholic Charites
of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Catholic Charities USA
2050 Ballenger Avenue
Suite 400
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
703-549-1390
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