The Lord Jesus Can Make Me Clean
Introduction: May you continue to come
to the Lord Jesus and seek the salus which He offers you so that you can be a
whole and healthy member of the community of faith.
Lord Jesus wants us to be
holy and wholly human. We are beings who are composed of different dimensions:
physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. When one of those dimensions is
suffering, it usually causes a negative effect in the other dimensions. The
pandemic and having to stay and work from home or having to be separated from
loved ones and friends, those conditions have led to an increase in depression
among people and have often ended up with people acting out negatively. We, as
members of a faith community, should work for the edification (building up) and
wholeness of the whole Body of Christ, that is the other members of our
community. We should reach out in whatever ways possible and safely, to pray
and work for the restoration of holiness and wholeness of each other.
First Reading. Leviticus
13:1-2,44-46
The unclean man must live outside the camp
Commentary: This reading from the Law sets the
scene for Jesus’ healing in the gospel-reading. Leprosy in its modern medical
sense (Mycobacterium leprae) is a devastating disease, leading to the loss of
fingers, and then even whole hands and feet. These biblical regulations were,
with good reason, designed to prevent contagion. In biblical times lack of
precise diagnosis led to other skin diseases, such as psoriasis and even acne,
being lumped together with it. So, the worst thing about many of the lesser
forms of ‘leprosy’ would have been the isolation, for ‘lepers’ were cut off
from all human society. The priests were involved not so much as sacred
ministers but as reliable persons to judge the symptoms, though, of course, the
sacrifice of thanks for the disappearance of the disease was a genuine
religious thanksgiving.
Responsorial Psalm
31(32):1-2,5,11
You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.
The psalm
speaks of sin as an ailment similar to the Biblical condition of physical
“leprosy.” The psalm is a prayer to GOD asking for the healing of a person with
the spiritual ailment of sin and restoration at least to spiritual wholeness
akin to the healing of “leprosy.” Part of the process of being healed from
spiritual leprosy is the need to declare oneself as unclean – to admit one’s
sinfulness. GOD can then extend a new skin of spiritual forgiveness and healing
over the person and the individual can once again join the community in giving
praise to GOD.
Second Reading. 1 Corinthians
10:31-11:1
Take me for your model, as I take Christ
Commentary: Paul has just quoted a slogan which
that difficult community, the Corinthians, threw in his face, ‘Everything is
permissible’. This was the conclusion they drew from the abolition of the
restrictions of the Jewish Law. Paul’s principle was that the Spirit was an
inner guide so that no external restrictions were necessary. With their slogan
the Corinthians jumped to the conclusion that there were no limits, so Paul now
adds various pieces of guidance: ‘Do everything you do for the glory of God!’.
If the glory of God is always before our minds, we can hardly go wrong. ‘Never
be the cause of offence’, that is, never lead anyone else into sin. It is easy
sometimes to put people in a situation in which they are bound to fail, through
fear or anger or frustration, or just because they are unequal to the task.
‘Take me as your pattern, as I take Christ for mine.’ To us moderns this may
sound arrogant, but Paul regarded himself as the Servant of the Lord Jesus,
just as Jesus regarded himself as the Servant of the Lord. So, Paul is
encouraging the self-confident Corinthians to put themselves in a position of
servants, serving the community for the glory of God. No matter what our
position, we can always do something more for the community.
Gospel. Mark 1:40-45
The leprosy left the man at once, and he was cured
Commentary: Mark shows the warmth of Jesus’
humanity and his concern for the leper. The leper had no right even to approach
Jesus but must have felt that he would get a favourable response, no word of
reproach. ‘Jesus felt sorry for him’ is a weak expression; the Greek is far
stronger: colloquially it is literally translated ‘was gutted’; Jesus felt it
to the depths of his being. Then Jesus touched him, both touching someone
ritually impure and risking the infection. There have been famous repetitions
of this brave and heartfelt gesture, such as Francis of Assisi kissing a
leper’s hand. One can imagine the awestruck horror of the bystanders at this
outrageous expression of love and sympathy. Why, then, does Jesus ‘sternly send
him away’? A more faithful rendering would be not ‘sternly’ but ‘in anger’. It
is possible that the anger is directed at leprosy, considered as an exterior
invasion, so ‘sent it away’. At least Jesus’ whole-hearted emotional
involvement with the sufferer is palpable.
Reflection: Do you seek the Lord Jesus with
expectant faith? No one who sought Jesus out was refused his help. Even the
untouchables and the outcasts of Jewish society found help in him. Unlike the
people of Jesus' time who fled at the sight of a leper, Jesus touched the leper
who approached him, and he made him whole and clean. Why was this so
remarkable? Lepers were outcasts of society. They were driven from their homes
and communities and left to fend for themselves. Their physical condition was
terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away. They
were not only shunned but regarded as "already dead" even by their
relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper,
lest ritual defilement occur.
This leper did
something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly,
expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned
or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants
the man his request, but he demonstrates God's personal love, compassion, and
tenderness in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have
regarded such contact as a grave risk for incurring infection. Jesus met the
man's misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and
mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words. He touched the
man and made him clean - both physically and spiritually.
How do you
approach those who are difficult to love, or who are shunned by others because
they are deformed or have some defect? Do you show them kindness and offer them
mercy and help as Jesus did? The Lord is always ready to show us his mercy and
to free us from whatever makes us unclean, unapproachable, or unloving towards
others.
Lord Jesus,
inflame my heart with your love and make me clean and whole in body, mind, and
spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to tell others of your mercy and
compassion.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Why did Jesus touch the leper, by Origen of
Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"And why
did [Jesus] touch him, since the law forbade the touching of a leper? He
touched him to show that 'all things are clean to the clean' (Titus 1:15).
Because the filth that is in one person does not adhere to others, nor does
external uncleanness defile the clean of heart. So, he touches him in his
untouchability, that he might instruct us in humility; that he might teach us
that we should despise no one, or abhor them, or regard them as pitiable,
because of some wound of their body or some blemish for which they might be
called to render an account... So, stretching forth his hand to touch, the
leprosy immediately departs. The hand of the Lord is found to have touched not
a leper, but a body made clean! Let us consider here, beloved, if there be
anyone here that has the taint of leprosy in his soul or the contamination of
guilt in his heart? If he has, instantly adoring God, let him say: 'Lord, if
you will, you can make me clean.'" (excerpt from FRAGMENTS ON MATTHEW
2.2-3)
AN EPIDEMIC OF LEPROSY
“A leper
approached Him with a request.” —Mark 1:40
Our society and
churches are filled with lepers. These people don’t have physical leprosy,
which is Hanson’s disease, but the spiritual leprosy of self-hatred. They
continually “cry out ‘Unclean, Unclean!’” (Lv 13:45) They do things to turn
people away from them. They even tell God to stay away from them. They wallow
in depression and degrade themselves through self-destructive compulsions such
as overeating, alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling, addiction to TV and handheld
electronic devices, sexual promiscuity, pornography, masturbation, gossip, etc.
Only one Person
can cure spiritual leprosy — Jesus. In our leprous condition, we must kneel
down and make an act of faith in Jesus, saying: “If You will do so, You can
cure” us (Mk 1:40). He will have mercy on us, stretch out His hand, touch us,
and say: “I do will it. Be cured” (Mk 1:41). Then God’s grace can begin to free
us from years of self-hatred and self-destruction. We will no longer be degraded
by the tyranny of doing what feels good. We will be truly free and fully alive.
Then we should
testify to our healing to whomever the Lord leads us. These people may also be
lepers. They may have been discouraged by the lepers in their family and
church. By sharing our healing, we will open them to Jesus. They will no longer
tell Jesus to stay away from them but will let Him touch them.
Prayer: Father, may I repent of self-hatred
and let Jesus touch me in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “Whether you eat or
drink — whatever you do — you should do all for the glory of God.” —1 Cor
10:31. To You, risen Lord Jesus, be the highest glory and praise forever.
Alleluia!