By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK
In the Rossellini film The Flowers of St. Francis, a series of black and white vignettes drawn from the saint’s life are strung together. In one of these St. Francis encounters a leper. He is repulsed by the man’s wounds, because he is human like the rest of us. Having come to love the Lord Jesus passionately, however, he knows that he cannot claim to love Christ if he cannot love his brother. This being an Italian film about an Italian, there is no hesitation that love expressed must somehow be tangible, physical.
The warning tinkle of the bell the leper rings to warn others about his approach summons the conscience of Francis to do the opposite, the unthinkable: to draw near this suffering and repulsive icon of Christ in distressing disguise.
Francis’ efforts to overcome himself take on the aspect of a physical drama as he repeatedly reaches out and then shrinks back again in horror at the prospect of an embrace. Finally, grace instructs nature and the two find momentary solace: Francis wraps the suffering leper tightly in his arms, encountering the beauty of Christ in repulsive disguise.
Now, people are sounding very Catholic in their very justified condemnation of the sinful remarks released on a video of Donald Trump, candidate for president of the United States.
His comments are offensive and reprehensible. His disrespect of women and objectification is grave matter which we must all renounce.
What he said was wrong and should never under any circumstances ever be considered acceptable. But let us make no mistake: The greatest moral battle of outrage is against legalized abortion. Respect for everyone, including women at risk of sexual assault, begins with defending the weakest among us: the preborn woman.
The presidential candidate in the video is wrong because what he did violated the virtue of chastity long taught by the Church. But the Church teaches us that chastity is a necessity for all of us, and it was Trump’s weakness of life without the grace of repentance and the virtue of chastity that led to his downfall. His repentance and forgiveness by God are a personal matter and we can only pray for him as we pray for all.
“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” How prompt we can be to call upon the power of God when we suffer from physical ailments, as did the ten lepers in the Gospel reading from a recent Sunday. It was a spiritual malady, however, that led to the degrading comments recorded in an unguarded moment.
As a result of modern technology one man’s “leprosy” is now on view for all to see and he is a public pariah like a leper. But we are all lepers, however, because “we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
Sin is leprosy for it renders our baptismal garments sullied, sundering us from God and from each other in a lack of holiness.
God’s first concern is not that we have sinned; He knows that. It is rather what we do in response to any fall from grace because of Jesus Christ that is the Father’s will for us. Our first concern must be our own salvation.
We cannot justify ourselves by a prudish or obsessive concern with the weakness or sins of others. While we must always shun repeating falsehoods about others, even to unnecessarily discuss their sins is detraction and a sin.
The Lord asks only that we seek forgiveness and that in faith we return to give thanks for His merciful love. And that is what we are doing each week in particular at Sunday Mass; we return in the faith which saves to thank the Lord for His many mercies.
In this Internet-based 24/7 news culture, politicians with a past may always worry that the other shoe may drop. Sin, unfortunately, sometimes follows a predictable pattern for those who are dishonest, with themselves as well as others, about their weaknesses.
We, however, are called to more because we are given more: God’s mercy, a grace for the strength or virtue of chastity and the humble living of daily repentance as we avoid the near occasions of sin. This mercy is given above all for the most grave of sins forgiven necessarily in sacramental Confession.
Approaching the altar to receive the Lord in Holy Communion while suffering the hideous leprosy of mortal sin is both useless and a sacrilege: adding sin upon sin. Praying the Holy Mass is always the means of giving thanks. We do so that we might hear said of us as the Lord responded upon encountering the Samaritan, the only one of nine who returned to render thanks: “Your faith has saved you.”
All of us must regularly admit to our wrongdoing, and always in the confessional for grave sins such as breaking the Commandments. And we must continue to walk humbly with God, recognizing that without His grace we would be dying of the most hideous leprosy: that of sin which can cast both body and soul into Hell forever.
Only God’s merciful love in the power of forgiveness can cleanse us of sin’s unseen wounds.
Recognizing His handiwork in the state of grace restored, we are moved by gratitude to return in faith with thanksgiving. This, we are taught by Christ, is the evidence of His work of unfolding salvation.
Yes: We’re all lepers. God hugs us anyway.
@MCITLFrAphorism
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(Join me on a pilgrimage to Fatima for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions in October 2017. Email me at mcitl.blogspot.com@gmail.com for details or visit proximotravel.com and enter my name and the state of Maryland where prompted to get itinerary details and sign up.)
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