*Apologies for the atrocious sound quality. We had a power outage on Saturday (no audio) and Sunday’s connection was faulty. If you can suffer through the noise, there’s a sermon underneath.*
Today’s Gospel is a combination of two pericopes that marvelously reveal the mercy of Jesus in glorious epiphany. The leper suffers the utter corruption of his being. The Centurion’s servant is paralyzed and unable to do and act according to his creation. We understand both conditions. We suffer the corruption of original sin. We are paralyzed in our inability and inaction towards God and neighbor. Jesus comes and heals both by his merciful touch and his recreating word. This is God’s loveĆ¢ā¬āHe shows mercy while we are yet leperous and paralyzed sinners and redeems us.