SKIN: SOME REFLECTIONS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3 Monday of Lent is, “Skin: Some Reflections.”

Since both readings for today talk about Naaman - a man who had skin problems - I decided to do a little reflecting on skin.

Give me some skin. Give me something on skin.

REFLECTIONS

Skin….

It’s us. It’s our color. It contains stories. It contains time. It’s our face to the world.

We rub our skin. We itch our skin. We pick our skin. We wonder about our skin. We worry about our skin. We check out our skin in the mirror.

It gets cut. It gets burned. It gets scared. It gets bruised.

We don’t think about skin as an organ of the body, but it’s listed as just that - and the largest organ in our body - roughly 20 square feet.

It gives doctors, skin doctors, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, a job to do.

It used to be  described as the easiest of the doctor jobs: if it’s dry make it moist; if it’s moist make it dry.

Not true because we can have problems with rashes, eczema, psoriasis, acne, dandruff,  cellulitis, keratosis, shingles, warts, melanoma, scabs and hives, just to name  a few possible problems and worries.

What’s your take on your skin?  Mirrors can help us stare time in the face - seeing our wrinkles and our aging.

Acceptance is the name of the game.  If someone came up with a great skin cream, I’m sure they would not call it,  “Acceptance”. Instead it would be called, “Beauty Preserver” or “Game Changer.”

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Naaman the army commander of the king of Aram had leprosy. I’ve often heard that leprosy in his day - was not necessarily Hansen’s Disease, but any kind of severe skin problem or issue.

The message of this story from the 2^nd book of Kings 5: 1-15ab, is that the God of Israel is the true God. He can heal skin problems and soul problems.

Naaman appears as a brusque type of character - who thinks it is bizarre to have to go to the king of Israel for a healing.  He goes - but he thinks he can buy his healing with all kinds of gold coins and classy clothes. He goes to the king of Israel for the healing. The king basically says, “You’ve come to the wrong person. Who do you think I am?”  He’s angry with the whole idea, the gifts as well as a letter from Naaman’s king?

In the meanwhile Elisha the prophet hears about the story and sends a message that all Naaman has to do is wash himself 7 times in the Jordan and he’ll be healed.

Elisha is giving him a free, “Get out of leprosy pass.”

Naaman balks at that and says, “Our rivers are better than the dinky Jordan River.”

His servants tell him, “Follow the prophet’s advice.”

He relents - goes to the Jordan - does what he is told and is healed.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

The people in today’s gospel - Luke 4:24-30 - are sort of the same way. They don’t like the way God works or Jesus’ description of how God the Father works. Once more we hear the story of Naaman - along with a similar story about Elijah the Prophet and a poor widow.

God is a God of surprises.

For some people it’s their way or the highway.  And their skin tells you in the face what they are feeling. Red roaring anger - which along with tightened skin in our fists shows up when we don’t get our way.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Skin.”

This Lent touch your hands. Rub your eyes, ears and face. Smooth your skin and thank God for the gift of life.

Jesus was comfortable with skin. He touched ears - even putting his finger in them. Eyes as well. He took some of his spit and touched someone he wanted to heal in his mouth and tongue. He reached out to those with leprosy. He let people reach out to touch him. He let a woman wash his feet with oil and dry his feet with her hair. He washed feet. He touched the dead.

Let Jesus do the same for you. Amen.