As we gather before our Heavenly Father to adore him through His Son at Holy Mass by the power of the Holy Spirit today, we find ourselves reflecting on the themes of healing, humility, and the necessity of good conduct before Him. Our readings remind us of the profound truth that we are all in need of healing, spiritually and morally, in a world that often drifts into delusion and confusion.
In the Gospel, we hear about the lepers—those marginalized by society, carrying both physical ailment and social stigma. They stand at a distance, crying out for mercy. Their condition serves as a vivid metaphor for our own spiritual state. If we dare to look closely, we might recognize that we, too, are like those lepers, afflicted by the societal ills of our time. In a political landscape rife with division, we can easily become ensnared by ideologies that offer false comforts but ultimately lead us away from God's truth.
In recent years, liberal "wokism" has emerged as a prevailing ideology, claiming to champion justice, equity, and moral superiority. Yet, many who embrace this path often do so without a foundation in true moral principles. They become so fixated on identifying injustices—real or perceived—that they overshoot the goal and, in doing so, alienate those who do not conform to their evolving doctrines.
We remember Saint John Paul II’s admonition that unless the right to life be defended with utmost determination, the championing of the secondary rights will remain illusory. For example, we cannot say we are for “women” and that “migrants deserve a chance” if we allow for the termination and abortion of both women and men in their first forms of physical existence within the womb and if we assist them in killing themselves at the end of life. Being for women and for migrants is good, holy… but what does it truly mean? While we are called to mercy and compassion, we nevertheless violate the language of virtue and the natural law if we champion a culture of death. We must promote, safeguard and treasure life, in all its stages and keep in mind the divine plan of the creator. What if through a person’s pain and suffering at the end of life, the Father is actually purifying them before they leave this world? What if he’s minimizing their purgatory out of mercy, or saving them from hell which only he knows they may perhaps be meriting? There’s so much beyond an arrogant mind that, disillusioned by wilful pride, wishes to play God to its own detriment. He alone is the Lord of life and anyone who takes that prerogative has made themselves God, whether they know it or not. We continue to embrace such people, however, because they are and will always remain our brothers and sisters, beloved and treasured to God, even if they are in error.
Let us remember that true justice cannot be achieved through division, anger, or the demonization of entire groups of people. We must approach our world, and particularly our political discourse, with the humility of the leper, who acknowledges their need for healing and grace. The lepers in the Gospel did not approach Jesus demanding justice; rather, they cried out for mercy. It is mercy that beckons us to the heart of God, a mercy that transcends our flawed ideologies which are in perilous opposition to the mind of Christ. Remember that Judas was full of his social justice dreams, but he was thinking as men think and wanted to force Jesus into an ideology. Rather, the Lord was calling him to live in holiness, set apart from the aspirations and accolades of empires which come and go. Hollywood glorified Achilles and stories like Troy, and the actors who play those characters on screen, but we glory in the true heroes—the saints, martyrs and angels that remained faithful to Christ.
St. Paul, in his letters, frequently emphasizes the importance of living a life worthy of the Gospel. It is a call to conduct ourselves with integrity, love, and humility, reflecting the light of Christ in a darkened world. The pervasive notion within certain circles that one must fall into extreme categories—either completely aligning with a particular political stance or being cast as an enemy—has created a toxic environment.
The Gospel invites us to step outside of these false parameters. In our interactions—be they personal or political—we are called to extend the compassion of Christ to those who suffer, regardless of their affiliations. Those who oppose us in ideology are also souls in need of healing.
As we reflect on current events, we must acknowledge that we are all lepers—afflicted by pride, anger, division, and misunderstanding. We cannot heal what we do not acknowledge. The first step towards healing is recognition of our own need for God’s grace. It is easy to point fingers at others; it is far more challenging to examine ourselves.
In times of conflict and confusion, let us remember that our ultimate allegiance belongs to God. Our call is not to be champions of a political cause or a social movement, but to be ambassadors of Christ. We must ask ourselves, "How can my actions reflect God’s love? How can I turn away from the delusions of self-righteousness that foster division?"
Dear friends, let us seek the true healing that only Christ can offer. Let us sit with him. Think with him. Smile with him. Lift up our hearts with him to the Father. He alone can give us the healing that knits us back together as one body, unified in our mission to spread the Good News. Let us pray that we might seek out the divine mercy that we need and grow in good conduct before God and one another. May we approach Him with humility, lifting our voices like the lepers, acknowledging our need for grace, and may we work towards a society that genuinely reflects love, understanding, and compassion that protects the most vulnerable among us.
In this spirit, let us move forward, enriched by the knowledge that we are all afflicted in our own ways, but through Christ, we are promised healing. Amen.
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