Read Mark 1:40-45 here.
In one of Jesus’ first healings in the Gospel of Mark, he touches a man with leprosy. Because of the condition, the man would have been considered unclean and un-touchable. He would have likely been isolated and forced to practice “social distancing measures” because of his disease. Not only would he have suffered physically from leprosy, but also emotionally from being alone.
This passage reminds us how important and connecting the touch of another person is—the handshake of a friend, the hug of family, or a welcoming pat on the back. We might not have known how important it is until we had to start going without it a few months ago. As humans, we are wired for connection and need it to be healthy.
So how can we get creative in these pandemic days, when being close to others risks infection? How can we “reach out” to those who are the most isolated? How can we make sure that folks in our community who aren’t tech savvy don’t fall through the cracks? Who are we forgetting about that lives alone and hasn’t been able to watch worship or hang out on Zoom?
We are torn between wanting people to be emotionally healthy through contact and connections, but we want them to stay physically healthy by not contracting the virus. Those are both good concerns to have. So let us lean into them both, and let’s keep being creative so that those who are lonely know that they’re not alone. That is part of Jesus’ healing work too.