Reach out and touch those in society who are considered modern-day lepers.

“We must become Jesus Christ to them. If we are unwilling to reach out and touch, then we are not willing to be the presence of Christ to His people,” said Fr Jason Gordon, chief celebrant at the annual Mass to commemorate World Day for the Sick, held at the Marian grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes church in Maraval.

The event this year was different as the usual chief celebrant, Archbishop Edward Gilbert, was overseas due to the death of his mother. At the beginning of the liturgy, Fr Gordon, Episcopal Vicar for the Northern Vicariate, led the congregation -- which comprised parishioners and pilgrims from across the archdiocese -- in prayers for the archbishop, his family and the soul of his mother.

Also notably missing at last Sunday's observance was former parish priest Fr Kevin De Loughry, who passed away a few months ago.

Fr Gordon blesses the congregation.

The Mass, with Dominican priests Frs Alan Mohammed, Ferdinand Warner and Anthony Roddy as concelebrants, culminated a week of activities leading to the parish's feast day on February 11.

Fr Gordon, who stood at the foot of the grotto steps to preach, began the homily by recounting how he had visited the Marian site in Lourdes, France, three or four times and that each time had been a “powerful, spiritual experience”.

He said Lourdes was about the transformation of people, “The story of Lourdes is a story of prayer, a story of love, a story of God's mercy.”

The parish priest of Rosary/Gonzales said in Jesus' time, people with leprosy were considered unclean, shunned and cast outside society. He said those who came into contact with such a person became unclean and needed to be purified to be considered as clean again.

Fr Gordon noted that in that Sunday's gospel, Christ took actions which were considered taboo: He first touched the leper and then made him clean. In this way, he continued, Christ showed that he had power over anything unclean, power over everything.

Fr Gordon said the message of Lourdes was a message of not only conversion but of discipleship, and “of being a servant of Christ” by reaching out and touching those in society in need of healing and acceptance.

“The call of Lourdes is a call too of holiness. We can't remain in pettiness and remain holy,” he said, and called on the congregation to examine their personal lives and turn away from anything unclean -- gossip, immature behaviour, backbiting and squabbling.

Fr Gordon had many laughing as he remarked, “If mouth could run a country, Trinidad would rule the world.”

He said our mission as Christians was not to serve self, but to lay down our life in the service of others.

“The message of Lourdes is a message of service,” he reiterated.

After the homily, Fr Gordon used a leafed twig to sprinkle holy water on the congregation, with one section asking for a second blessing.

The liturgy closed with Benediction. - RS