The Leper

Beneath our bright veneer of normalcy, respectability and even elegance,

A leper yet cowers in the shadows.

For like these linen white leaves which cannot produce food,

We too have often lost our humanity by failing to identify with the poor and unfortunate.

Who can heal us?

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And a leper came to Jesus, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

~ Mark 1:40-42