23 January 2020
Memorial of Marianne Cope
Jesus does not cure from afar. When He heals, “those who had diseases were pressing upon Him to touch Him.” He cures by touch, and He is present to us by wading into the sea of humanity. This is the very reason for His coming—to show us that God is present with His people. Jesus takes on our suffering and makes them His own. Loneliness is the worst kind of suffering, and whatever else Jesus does, He will end our loneliness.
Jesus waded into the suffering, taking it upon Himself. His true servants do likewise. We celebrate today St. Marianne Cope, servant of Christ and of lepers. She lived among the lepers of Molokai for over thirty years, tending to their wounded. She never contracted leprosy herself, but she was in constant physical contact with lepers, and declared “I am not afraid of any disease.” Whatever else she cured on that island, she cured the lepers’ loneliness.