Reading: Luke 17:12-19 (link)
Oops!
In the December 2024 issue of The New Yorker, we were introduced to a man by the name of Chandra Bhan Prasad (link). As you can tell from his name, he is Indian by birth. But what made his story so interesting is that he’s an atheist who was looking to introduce a new goddess into the Hindu system of worship.
If you saw a statue of this goddess, you probably wouldn’t realize that it was a Hindu goddess; this statue looks nothing like other Hindu gods. Instead, you might mistakenly think that she was a poor imitation of the Statue of Liberty. She stands on a pedestal wearing long flowing robes. In her raised right hand, she holds a pen, and in her left arm, she’s carrying a tablet. Instead of a crown upon her head, she wears a floppy hat. As I said, you might mistake her for a poor imitation of the Statue of Liberty.
But why would an atheist want to introduce this goddess into the Hindu system? The answer may surprise you.
The name for this statue was the Goddess English. Her purpose was to elevate the English language in India, and she was intended for the Dalits, that is, the “untouchables” in India. As you may know, India has a very distinct caste system. It’s a system you’re born into, and, at the bottom, are the “untouchables.” They live miserable lives, isolated to the fringes of society, doing all the worst jobs.
Prasad believed that “deifying” English would be empowering for the untouchables. He’s quoted as saying, “The Goddess English can empower Dalits, giving them a chance to break free from centuries of oppression. Will English-speaking Dalits be expected to clean gutters and roads?” he asked. “Will English-speaking Dalits be content to work as menials at landlords’ farms?”
What he was trying to accomplish was healing—the healing of a group of people who had been ostracized from society. He hoped this would lift them up and spark a new sort of community, one in which everyone was welcomed.
Ugh!
We see this same idea at work in Scripture. Ten lepers approached Jesus, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
When I hear this, I recognize that leprosy was an incurable disease, but I don’t completely grasp what it meant to live with leprosy in the ancient world. Today, if you’re sick, you go to the hospital, and you’re cared for. But in the ancient world, it wasn’t so simple.
In Jesus’ day, leprosy was a source of profound physical suffering and emotional torment. The term “leprosy” likely referred to various chronic skin conditions, not limited to modern Hansen’s disease. Those afflicted experienced visible disfigurement, pain, and humiliation, as their condition marked them as “unclean” in the eyes of society.
This led to devastating emotional isolation, as they were required to live outside the community in colonies or wilderness areas, away from family and friends. Their condition stripped them of their social roles and dignity, reducing them to a life of shame and rejection.
Lepers were also excluded spiritually, as their illness rendered them ritually impure according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 13–14). They were banned from temple worship and considered cursed or punished by God, further compounding their alienation.
Forced to cry “Unclean! Unclean!” when near others, they endured constant rejection and fear from society. Economically, lepers were destitute, unable to work or trade, and relied on begging for survival. The combined physical, emotional, spiritual, and economic burdens made leprosy one of the most devastating conditions of the time.
In other words, they were the “untouchables” of their day.
Aha!
And yet, when they approached Jesus, He didn’t retreat. In stark contrast to the societal rejection of lepers, Jesus displayed extraordinary compassion and care for them by telling them to go and show themselves to the priests. In doing so, they were healed.
You see, whereas others see our condition, Jesus sees our unconditional worth.
He not only healed their physical afflictions, but He also restored their dignity and place in the community. What Prasad thought an idol could do, Jesus actually does.
The restoration of community, this healing of community, is a sign of the arrival of God’s kingdom, where the excluded are brought into communion with others and with God. And this is still happening today.
Whee!
Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and King, like Jesus in His healing of the lepers, restored dignity to those cast out by society and brought them back into the fullness of community.
In the face of systemic racism and segregation, King proclaimed the intrinsic worth of every person, rooted in the belief that all are created in the image of God.
Through his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, he gave a voice to those silenced by oppression and affirmed their rightful place in society. In his speeches and actions, King consistently challenged systems that dehumanized individuals based on race, reminding the marginalized of their inherent value and calling for a society where all could live in dignity, equality, and justice.
His work restored not only individual lives but also the communal bonds that were broken by prejudice and division. King’s ability to heal communities was most evident in his insistence on nonviolent resistance.
Just as Jesus broke through the barriers of rejection to touch and heal lepers, King broke through hatred and violence with a message of love and reconciliation. By empowering people to march, protest, and demand justice with courage and peace, he gave them the tools to claim their God-given dignity and restore broken relationships.
In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, King envisioned a world where divisions would cease, and people of all races would live together as equals. His work restored more than civil rights—it reestablished the interconnectedness of humanity, a community where every individual is valued and no one is excluded.
King was willing to reach out and “touch the lepers” just as Christ had.
Yeah!
But we don’t have to be Jesus or Martin Luther King, Jr., to bring healing to our community.
Each of us is called to see the unconditional worth in others, especially those whom society rejects or overlooks. In our own families, churches, workplaces, and neighborhoods, we can build bridges where there are divisions, showing love and respect to all.
Start by noticing those on the margins—the lonely coworker, the struggling neighbor, or the person who feels out of place at church. A kind word, a genuine smile, or an offer of help can restore dignity to someone who feels invisible.
By reaching out in love, you mirror Christ’s compassion and participate in His work of healing.
In your own circles, think about how you can create spaces of belonging. Whether it’s inviting someone to sit with you, advocating for fairness at work, or fostering forgiveness in strained relationships, you have the power to bring others into the fullness of community.
As followers of Christ, we are called to extend His kingdom by being agents of reconciliation and restoration, seeing others not for their condition but for their God-given worth. In doing this, we become Christ for others. In doing this, we embrace our the name given to us as our baptism: Christian.
Amen.