I Do Choose

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. Mark 1:29-45 

None of us choose to be sick, diseased, mentally ill, disabled, overweight, unattractive or different. These are some but not all conditions of being human. Many people want to fix those who they thinkare broken, having quick cures for what ails them. Many people judge others, and the person judged often knows exactly how cruel other people can be, including family members. Rarely do folks who judge want to fix what's wrong with themselves. Nor would they ever think they need healing. 

Jesus begins his ministry in an explosion of healing. He chooses to share his message of love and divine heaing. God chooses to love us as we are and to bring wholeness and healing. We often want something different. We want to be right and perfect, beautiful and gifted. We rarely like what it means to be well, because with true wellness come responsibility. Simon's mother-in-law got up ande served. The leper told his story everywhere. The disciples went on with Jesus to bring the message of God's love for everyone. We are invited to humbly offer ourselves, with our brokenness and our giftedness,  as carriers fo the good new of God's love.

Today, I ask God to help me choose to share the radicale love and welcome of our Creator. In oue present climate, where creulty and exclusion seem to be the norm, may we choose always to be agents of healing and love.