June 26th: Reaching out

Like Jesus, disciples must have the courage to show love and do the right thing when the time comes.

Matthew 8: 1 – 4.

Jesus completed the great ‘Sermon on the Mount’ and came down from the mountain when a leper came up and bowed in front of him. The leper’s request was simple. He said to Jesus, ‘If you want to, you can cure me.’

The leper placed Jesus in a difficult situation since touching him would violate the law of purity. Despite that, if he chose to heal the leper, it would be a matter of courage on Jesus’ part. Jesus chose courage and healed him. It was no small thing that Jesus touched and healed the leper.

Courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to disciples precisely to minister in difficult situations. Like Jesus, disciples must have the courage to show love and do the right thing when the time comes. Disciples must minster, stand up for, speak out for, reach out to, witness or preach even in the most difficult situations. Courage makes the difference between reaching out and holding back.