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In today’s Gospel we read about a healing, specifically the healing of ten people with leprosy. Although this account is about people getting healed of a dreaded disease it is what happens after the healing that is most significant. Let’s take a step back to help put this Gospel in perspective. Leprosy or now known as Hansen’s Disease was a dreaded disease back in biblical times. There was no cure, and the method of transmission was not well understood. Individuals suspected of having leprosy were shunned from their family and community. They were required to shout “unclean unclean” anytime they were close to people. As a psychologist I am concerned about the impact this had upon their self worth and esteem. To make matters worse, there was no clear diagnostic criteria, so anyone with a skin issue, hives, eczema, or even acne ran the risk of receiving a diagnosis of leprosy. Because of this lack of clarity, it is not surprising that we read that leprosy was mentioned so often in the Bible.

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