Sharing in Other's Mess

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time   11 February 2018

First reading: Leviticus 13:1ff The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his body, he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. he is leprous, he is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; the disease is on his head. The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be disheveled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, “Unclean, unclean.” He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Second reading:  1 Corinthians 10: 31-11:1  So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Gospel: Mark 1: 40-45 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. Reflection by Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Again in this Gospel we find Jesus moved with great compassion. Jesus reveals a new face of God. Leprosy was a living death: the sufferer was isolated from family and community, and had to cry out ‘Unclean, unclean!’ when anyone approached. Leprosy in the Bible covered a range of skin diseases. More importantly, it was considered as making a person unclean. The leper breaches this code by approaching Jesus, and Jesus breaches it by touching the leper. Touching the leper made Jesus ritually unclean also. There are no lengths to which Jesus will not go to help this man. He touches him, speaks to him, and gives him his freedom to be fully human again.

The most painful wounds we carry with from the past are more wounds of the spirit than of the body. Of these spiritual wounds that one that causes us most pain is that of a belief that we are insignificant. In this Gospel story we hear in Jesus’ words to the leper, His concern to heal this wound we carry with us from the past. Deeply moved, Jesus put out His hand and touched him.’ Jesus, the concrete manifestation of God’s unfailing love, preached in stories, but also in actions. He healed the sick and freed people from suffering, brokenness, desolation, rejection and even sin. Jesus enters fully into the human mess of our lives, making it truly divine.

This compassion of God, the very act of mercy itself, costs great sacrifice. Because of this, Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country. Why? Because Jesus had touched the leper. Because of this, according to the law, He himself was now impure. He could no longer enter the city.

At times, we would ask ourselves and question the fruits of our good works. We have done good to others but they, in return, have caused us so much pain. But it must not hinder us from doing good. As Jesus received people who came to Him from every quarter, we must continue to receive people in our lives, in our hearts, in our humanity.

We must always heed the advice of Saint Paul in his letter to Corinthians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”. If Christ is compassionate, we must also be compassionate. If Christ welcomed everyone, especially the impure and marginalized, we must also accept everyone. There is no limit in loving people.

Prayer

Lord, allow me to follow Your example. Grant me the grace to love people like You – to enter into their impurities, their weakness and suffering. By doing so, may I become an agent of Your healing as I am constantly reminded that I am in need of Your healing. Amen.