Reaching For Help

 

Luke 5:12-16

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

¹² While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

¹³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

¹⁴ Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

¹⁵ Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

We can learn something about our prayers of petition from this healing:  We see the leper falling to the ground, and imploring Jesus directly for a cure. Jesus, in turn, reaches out his hand, touches him, and in so doing, heals him.  There's motion and action here, not just words. Not that this is the "magic formula" for a favorable answer to prayer, but it does demonstrate the engagement of the whole person in the request.  Our prayers can become cerebral, and in a sense lose their genuineness...In this incident, it is clear what the leper wants; he does not sugar-coat his request and receives an immediate answer.  How do I pray when I'm in desperate need, or in any need?

In this vein, another illustration of the power of direct prayer comes from New Orleans, where Mary, for her prompt intervention and response to prayer, is honored as Our Lady of Prompt Succor. In the early 1800's a convent of Ursuline Sisters was teetering on closing because of a lack of Sisters. Their petition to the Pope was answered and several sisters came from France to join them.  When a huge fire threatened the convent in 1812,, the sisters prayed and the winds shifted...Sounds like a Hollywood twist, but it really happened. A few years later in 1815, when the outnumbered Americans were fighting the British, the sisters prayed, and word came to them during their Mass that the British had been defeated. 

May we not hesitate to reach up to heaven for the help we need.

Bro. Rene