Joseph Damien was a missionary in the nineteenth century who ministered to
people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. Those suffering grew to
love him and revered the sacrificial life he lived out before them.
One morning before Joseph was to lead them in their daily worship, he was
pouring some hot water into a cup when the water swirled out and fell onto his
bare foot. It took him a moment to realize that he had not felt any sensation.
Gripped by the sudden fear of what this could mean, he poured more hot water on
the same spot. No feeling whatsoever.
Damien immediately knew what had happened. As he walked tearfully to deliver his
sermon, no one at first noticed the difference in his opening line. He normally
began every sermon with, "My fellow believers." But this morning he began with,
"My fellow lepers."
In a greater measure Jesus came into this world knowing what it would cost him.
He bore in his pure being the marks of evil, that we might be made pure. "For
this I came into the world," he said (Jn. 18:37).
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please
authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances
dictate.
Thanks to Randy Walker
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