examination of the heart 284 THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Before Holy Communion 1. “[H]e was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance” (Lk 17:12). Consider that those lepers, being aware of their ugliness, did not dare to come close to the Savior, but stood afar off. As for you, how do you dare to bring your mouth near Him, if indeed you have your soul impaired by such a great leprosy of sins? Your leprosy is pride; it is the lack of mortification; the extravagance of the senses; your leprosy is hatred for your brothers; it is envy and furious anger; but especially leprous is any kind of avarice, which was the reason why Gehazi, that servant of God’s prophet, was struck with leprosy (cf. 2 Kings 5:20-27). But since we read that Pope Deusdedit (or Adeodatus) cleansed a leper with a kiss,125 ask the heavenly Spouse at the sacred banquet to “kiss you with the kiss of [H]is mouth” (cf. Cant 1:1), and to remove in this way your spiritual leprosy. 2. “and lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Lk 17:13). You have to consider and learn many things here. First of all, why do these lepers appeal to the Master rather than to a doctor? It turned out that they were afflicted also with an internal illness of their souls and believed that, without healing it first, their corporal illness would not be removed. Since a spiritual illness frequently takes its toll in the form of a corporal sickness, they rightly could not hope to get rid of the effect without eliminating the cause. Therefore, they pressed the Teacher to show them first the way to cleanse their souls, [f.78r] and then, once their 125 The Roman Martyrology, Ed. J. B. O’Connell, Newman Press, Westminster, MD, 1962, p. 244 (November 8—St. Deusdedit I): “At Rome, St. Deusdedit I, Pope, who was of merit so great that he healed a leper of his leprosy by a kiss.” [Hereafter The Roman Martyrology will be abbreviated as RM.] Cf. Ireneo, Daniele, Bibliotheca Sanctorum, vol. I, Istituto Giovanni XXIII nella Pontificia Universita lateranense, Roma 1961, p. 251 (s.v. Adeodato I (Deusdedit), Papa, santo): “It was inserted by Baronio, who added that with a kiss he healed a leper; but it is not known where Baronio got this news.” [Hereafter Bibliotheca Sanctorum will be abbreviated as BS.]
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