Unclean! Unclean!

During this year’s Christmastime, there has been a lot of speculation about what Jesus would want us to do in regards to Covid-19 and getting the vaccination. CNN “religious commentator” Father Robert Beck recently said that Jesus would want people to get vaccinated, and that the unvaccinated should be segregated from the rest of society. It is best not to project what we think onto Jesus, because doing so would be taking his name in vain. So instead of projecting what Jesus would do, we should look at what Jesus actually did.

There was a pandemic during Jesus’ life on earth; it was called leprosy. Leprosy is a contagious disease which results in severe physical deformities, and eventually death. During Jesus’ time, lepers were secluded from society, they were outcast, just as Father Beck wants to do with those not vaccinated for Covid. If a leper, for whatever reason, had to come into town, he would have to scream, “Unclean! Unclean!” as he walked down the street to alert the people that a leper was in their midst, and to avoid them.