"Going to the Carwash, yeah!"

A nice hot shower feels great! When I'm at the lake, and I've been weed eating, mowing, or anything else sweaty, the shower is a blessing. Not only does it cleanse your body but it does something for your attitude and mood too.

In the same way forgiveness is more than just a way to get rid of a grudge or a sin. Forgiveness lightens us and refreshes us. Not long ago a boy, about ten, and his mom were at a Communal Reconciliation service at a local parish. He was definitely the youngest one in church that evening. In fact, in comparison to the rest of us, he looked out of place. I thought that Mom had dragged him there because it was Advent or that she thought he really "needed to go to Confession". No. She told me that her son loved going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation because it made him feel clean!

Jesus cleanses a man in the Gospel today. Not just any man, but He cleanses a man with the oldest and dirtiest disease in our history; leprosy. We have heard how contagious leprosy (or Hansen's disease) is. In Jesus' day there were religious and social rules regarding the awful disease. The leper had to live banished from society and family until they were declared clean or until they were dead. No exceptions! And the word was always "cleansed" not "healed". The leper had to yell, "UNCLEAN!" to any passerby's so as not to infect them. They didn't yell, "SICK!" They yelled, "UNCLEAN!"

The man in the Gospel asks Jesus to make him "clean". Jesus tells him, "I do will it. Be made Clean!" In making the leper clean again Jesus shows God's power over disease, sin, religious and social norms, and our attitudes about our own selves that make us dirty. That's what the ten year old at the Communal Reconciliation Service was asking for and what he received in the Sacrament. As do we. God's forgiveness cleanses us wholly; body, mind and soul.

On this Ash Wednesday we begin the Holy Season of Lent. Lent is more than about ashes, fish fries, Rice Bowls, and giving up Facebook for six and one half weeks (even though I highly endorse all of those practices). Lent can be about taking a good look into our lives and finding out where we need to do some "cleaning". We all have areas in our lives that make us seem dirty. Or, we treat others like they are "dirt" to us. Lent is a good time to ask God to intervene, make us clean and extend God's cleansing to those whom need to know that they, too, are made in God's image and likeness.

Let's invite God to do a little cleaning for Lent!

peace,
Fr. Chuck