Monday 6 April 2009

Unclean

By Lucy Wall


Lucy Wall from Calvary London on Vimeo.

This poem was inspired by Mark 1:40-45 which reads,

"Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If you are willing, You can make me clean."
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him,
"See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction."

When I first read this story of how Jesus heals the leper I was blown away by the compassion, love and grace He shows. The demonstration created an incredible picture in my mind 's eye. I could clearly imagine the noisy, bustling crowds surrounding Him and competing for His attention along with the arrival of a man who would have been viewed as repulsive and unclean.