Life has a way of presenting us with seasons that feel like total devastation. Whether it is a global crisis or a personal heartbreak, we often find ourselves standing among what feel like the smoking ruins of our expectations, our security, and our peace. On this Friday, June 26, 2026, the Church’s liturgy brings us two powerful and contrasting images of "ruins", the literal destruction of a holy city and the personal social ruin of a marginalized man. Yet, in both, we find the common thread of God’s presence and the promise of a restorative touch.
When Everything Falls Apart: The Fall of Jerusalem
The first reading today from 2 Kings 25:1-12 is one of the most sobering passages in the Old Testament. It recounts the final collapse of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. To the people of Israel, Jerusalem was not just a capital city; it was the dwelling place of the Most High. The Temple was the heart of their world, the physical sign of God’s covenant and protection.
The account describes a scene of total siege and systematic destruction. For nearly two years, the city was surrounded until famine gripped the inhabitants. When the walls were finally breached, the consequences were absolute: the Temple was burned, the royal palace was destroyed, and the city walls, the people's primary source of security, were torn down. The leadership was led away in chains, leaving behind only the poorest of the land.
This is a picture of total loss. It represents those moments in our own lives where our personal world feels under siege. We have all experienced "wall-breaching" moments, times when a diagnosis, a job loss, or a broken relationship makes us feel as though our defenses have crumbled and our "holy places" have been burned. In the context of the Babylonian exile, it felt like the end of the story. Yet, history shows that it was in these very ruins that a deeper, more resilient faith was forged.
The Brave Request: Ruins of the Soul
While the first reading shows us the ruins of a nation, the Gospel from Matthew 8:1-4 brings us to the ruins of a single human life. We meet a man with leprosy who approaches Jesus as He comes down from the mountain.
In the culture of that time, a leper was a man in social and physical ruins. To have leprosy was to be an outcast, legally required to live apart from the community and to cry out "Unclean!" to warn others of his presence. He was the ultimate untouchable, living a life of profound isolation and exclusion.
However, this man makes a brave request. He does not demand or complain; he simply kneels and says, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." This is a masterpiece of prayer. It acknowledges Jesus’ power while completely submitting to His will. It is the prayer of someone who has lost everything and knows that his only hope lies in the mercy of the Lord. He brings his "ruined" life to the feet of Christ with total trust.
The Touch that Restores: A Scandalous Mercy
What happens next is the turning point of the Gospel. Matthew records that "Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him."
In the eyes of the law, this was a scandalous act. By touching a leper, Jesus technically became ritually "unclean" Himself. Jesus did not have to touch the man to heal him; as we see in other parts of the Gospel, Jesus could heal with a mere word from a distance. But He chose to touch him.
Why? Because the man’s physical healing was only half of the miracle. He also needed the restoration of his dignity. After years of being feared and shunned, he needed to feel the warmth of human contact. Jesus’ touch transformed the man's ruins into a new beginning. He wasn't just "fixed"; he was restored to the human family. Jesus then sends him to the priest, ensuring his social and religious reintegration into the community.
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle: Being the Hands of Christ
This dynamic of "restoring touch" is precisely what we aim to facilitate through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA). As a branch of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the SPA is dedicated to a very specific mission: supporting the formation of local, indigenous clergy and religious in mission territories.
In many parts of the world today, particularly in mission dioceses across Africa and Asia, communities are living in the "ruins" of poverty, social exclusion, or the aftermath of conflict. In these places, people often feel like the leper in the Gospel, forgotten by the world and isolated by their circumstances.
When you support the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, you are providing the "hands" that will touch these communities. We do not just send aid from a distance; we invest in the training of local men and women to become priests and religious sisters within their own cultures.
Why is indigenous clergy so important?
- Presence: Local priests and sisters live with the people. They don't just visit; they stay.
- Understanding: They speak the local language, understand the cultural nuances, and share the people’s history.
- Sustainable Growth: They ensure that the Church is not seen as a foreign institution, but as a local family of faith.
- Healing: They are the ones who go into the "ruins", the slums, the remote villages, and the refugee camps, to bring the sacraments and the healing presence of Christ.
Your generosity provides ordinary subsidies for the daily needs of seminarians and novices, scholarships for their formators, and funds for the construction of seminaries. You are making it possible for a young man in a mission territory to say "Yes" to God's call, so that he can one day stretch out his hand to touch and heal the wounds of his own people.
A Legacy of Hope: The Bigard Inspiration
The work of the SPA began in 1889 with a simple, warm response to a desperate need. Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard, a mother and daughter in France, received a letter from Bishop Jules-Alphonse Cousin in Japan. The Bishop had many young Japanese men who wanted to become priests, but he lacked the funds to support their formation.
The Bigards didn't see ruins; they saw a foundation for the future. They began the work of raising awareness and funds, a mission that was eventually granted papal recognition by Pope Pius XI in 1922. Today, this work supports over 30,000 seminarians and novices in about 1,069 mission dioceses. It is a testament to what happens when we decide to help Christ "touch" the world through the gift of the priesthood and religious life.
Reflection: Bringing Our Ruins to the Lord
Is there a part of your life that feels like it is in ruins right now? Perhaps it is a dream that didn't come true, a relationship that has crumbled, or a sense of spiritual dryness that feels like the scorched earth of Jerusalem.
The readings today invite us to have the courage of the leper. We are invited to take that specific worry, that specific area of "ruin," and bring it to Jesus. We can say to Him with confidence: "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."
We must also ask ourselves: How can we be the "touch" of Jesus for someone else today? We may not be in a mission territory ourselves, but through our prayers and our support of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, we participate in the healing of the global Church.
Conclusion
In the ruins of Jerusalem, God was already planning a return and a rebuilding. In the ruins of the leper’s life, Jesus was ready to stretch out His hand.
"Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, 'I will do it. Be made clean.'" (Matthew 8:3). May you feel that same healing touch of Christ in your heart today, and may you be inspired to help us bring that touch to the furthest corners of the world.
Thank you for your continued support and for being a vital part of our mission to build a locally-led, sustainable Church worldwide.
: Fr. ADD
About The Pontifical Mission Societies
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle is one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies. Since 1889, we have been the primary Catholic organization dedicated specifically to developing indigenous clergy in mission areas. We work directly with local bishops to ensure that every community, no matter how remote, can have the presence of a priest and the grace of the sacraments.