Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.
The origins of the Lenten Season go back to the earliest days of the Church as a time of proximate spiritual preparation for the transformational moment of Baptism. Adults who had literally been journeying for years to experience the Sacraments of Initiation into the Body of Christ, saw their long-awaiting goal on the horizon. The final 40 days, prior to Easter, were a time of intense final spiritual preparation. Through ancient rites of prayer, invocation of the Holy Spirit for strength and healing, anointings, fasting and prayer, the ‘elect’ were prepared in heart and mind for the singular and life-changing moment of ‘putting on Christ’ through water and the Holy Spirit.
The scriptures during these 40 days will often focus on baptismal themes of ‘washing’ and ‘cleansing’ to underscore the healing and forgiveness of sin that comes with Christian Baptism.
The story of Naaman the leper holds for us a two-fold significance. This gentile, not a member of the covenant household of Israel is granted the unforgettable gift of healing from leprosy from the Lord at the hands of Elisha his prophet. It was a powerful sign that God’s goodness and mercy is for all peoples. That universality of the Lord’s goodness is experienced through the waters of baptism for all who wish to experience the fullness of life in Christ.