If You Wish, You Can Make Me Clean

The leper fell prostrate, pleaded with Jesus, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,” I do will it. Be made clean.” (Luke 5:12-13)

Jesus Heals a Leper

In Jesus" time, any skin rash, discoloration, or disfigurement was considered to be leprosy. Lepers were considered unclean, and contact with the leper required the individual to bathe and launder extensively, and anything that came into contact with the leper was destroyed. Those who touched lepers were not allowed in the temple or the synagogue. Lepers were not even supposed to speak with other people, so this incident of Jesus speaking to the leper and touching him is quite extraordinary.

The Catholic Church shares this Gospel shortly before the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus. Why is this?

The Church is trying to tell us that we are all disfigured with the leprosy of sin. A sinful person has the stench of hell about himself or herself, and sin leads to certain death. Therefore, since only Jesus and the Blessed Mother Mary were freed of sin, we all stand before God with a certain disfigurement due to the leprosy of sin.

The leper said,, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” We say these words to God. “If you wish, you can make me clean.” God cannot be defiled by touching a leper or by touching our sinfulness. Instead we are made clean when God touches us. The healer heals the disease. The sanctifier sanctifies the sinful. God has touched our broken, injured humanity and repaired it. He redeemed creation by becoming one of us, soul, body, and will. He has redeemed our sinful nature so that it can become a divine nature.

At the Jordan River, Jesus entered the water to be baptized. John’s baptism was symbolic, but the baptism which Jesus initiates is real. John’s baptism encourages us to give up sin, but Jesus’ baptism cleanses us, heals us, and removes the sin. John’s baptism washes bodies, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit washes souls. “If you wish, Lord, you can make me clean.” “I do wish it. Be made clean.”

Before his Ascension into heaven, Jesus sends the disciples out to baptize all nations and to ready all humanity for the return of Christ. Baptism does more than take away sin. It makes us the spouse of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, the child of God.

In Confirmation we received the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation continues and confirms the graces received at Baptism. The gifts received at Confirmation touch our will and our soul.

We receive the fullness of these in the Eucharist, the miracle of immortality, the Divine Caress in which God touches our souls and our bodies physically. Christ touches us in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The two become one flesh.

“If you wish you can make me clean.” “I do wish it. Be made clean.” God wills to touch us, to be flesh with us. God wills it so let it be so.

Transcribed from notes taken during a homily by Father David Engo, FFM