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Simon The Leper
Call to Identity

Mark 14:3, Matthew 26: 6,7

Introduction
hile Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Wthere came a woman having an alabaster cruse - literally, as
we say, "a glass," of a vessel made of glass which had an ointment
of very costly and she broke the cruse, and poured it over his
head. This anointing of our Lord Jesus Christ appears to have
taken place on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. The anointing
mentioned by St. Luke (Luke 7:36) evidently has reference to
some previous occasion. The narrative here and in St. Matthew
and St. John would lead us to the conclusion that this was a feast
given by Simon - perhaps in grateful acknowledgment of the
miracle which had been wrought upon Lazarus and personal
experience. He is called "Simon the leper," probably because he
had been a leper, and had been healed by Christ, although he
still retained the name "leper," to distinguish him from others
named Simon, or Simeon, a common name amongst the Jews.

Breaking the Barrier

The lepers were always considered to be outcastes. They
were kept outside the town. According to Levitical laws, the
lepers were considered as ritually unclean. The term leprosy was
denoted for many skin diseases. Once a person is identified with
leprosy he/she must be brought before the priest for examination
for certain days and after clear examination, the priest will make
him/her to stay outside the camp. If a leper happens to walk in
the midst of crowd he or she must shout unclean… unclean.
And when a person feels that he or she is cured, then that
person must be brought back to priests again for examination.
After careful observation of a diseased person, the priest would

9
Lenten Meditations Re - Imaging People