Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mk. 1:40-45) “Who Are the Lepers?”
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mk. 1:40-45) “Who Are the Lepers?”
There is a poem by John Shea that is entitled a Prayer to the Pain of Jesus. It asks:
When crutches were thrown away
did Jesus limp
after the running cripples?
Did his eyes dim
when Bartimaeus saw?
Did life ebb in him
when it flowed into Lazarus?
When lepers leapt in new flesh,
did scales appear
on the back of Jesus’ hand?
The gospels say.
Jesus felt power go out from him
but neglect to say
whether at that moment
pain came in.
Did the Son of God
Take on ungrown legs and dead eyes
in the terrifying knowledge
that pain does not go away.
But only moves on.
Was there a cost Jesus paid when he healed others? We would have to say that there was.
We see that truth in the Gospel story we read today. In the book of Leviticus there is a whole section on the whole idea of cleanliness versus uncleanliness. What did it mean to be unclean? What it meant was that a person couldn’t be involved in the liturgical life of the community. No one wanted to be unclean because it was felt that evil had overtaken that person. People became unclean for different reasons. People, for instance, who were suffering because of certain physical illnesses were unclean. One of those illnesses was leprosy.
If someone suspected that they were a leper, they would go to the priests to be examined. The priests would do various tests according to procedures outlined in the Book of Leviticus. If the person was declared a leper, they had to leave their home to live in a leper colony away from the rest of the population. The leper was supposed to stay there until they were cured. If they thought they were healed, once again, they would have to undergo an examination by a priest. If it was determined that they were cured, then they could return home. The physical suffering of leprosy was bad. The estrangement from family and friends was worse.
If someone encountered a leper, they would be unclean which meant that they had to isolate themselves. Sometimes this would be for a week. Other times it would be longer. We can imagine the inconvenience this would cause. The lepers would let their hair grow. Also, they would tear their clothing. Lepers were expected to move down the road ringing a bell. Or they might yell “unclean, unclean”. People would move away from them. If a leper approached someone without warning it was a selfish act. You might have the right to harm them.
The leper who approached Jesus asking for healing was desperate. He was overcome with sickness. But worse than that he was desperate to reunite with those that he loved. Jesus doesn’t move away from the leper, but he moves toward him. He touches him. Ironically, he exchanges places with the leper. The leper moves back into society. Jesus must leave society for a time of purification. How often Jesus behaved this way. He lifted the crosses of others placing them on his own shoulders. We are called to do the same.
Who are those who are the lepers of today? Who do people move away from? We could say that the people in nursing homes are the people who are the lepers of today. Few people enjoy going to see those who are feeble in body or mind. Another place that is a place of isolation are prisons. Few people want to go into jails. We might also say that a person’s own home can be places of isolation. Many people only leave their home if they go to a doctor’s appointment. Many caretakers take on that same isolation.
Lepers are all around us. People who have been set apart are living in every neighborhood. Do we keep away because such people are unclean? Do we move toward those who need to be touched? The choice we make is a measure of what kind of Christians we are. If we reach out, there will be a price to pay. But that is what God’s mercy asks of us.
Reflection Questions:
Is there someone who is Leper that I know? Why do I feel that way?
Do I feel like a leper myself? How might my leprosy be cured?
Dear Parishioners,
The Lenten Season is a time when we prepare for the reception of the Easter Sacraments. We have numerous parishioners that are preparing for the reception of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.
In the coming weeks, these people will be going through the Rite of Enrollment. Not only will our OCIA candidates declare their intention to receive the rites of initiation, but our second graders will submit their names to us asking that they be allowed to make their First Communion. Also, our eighth graders will enroll their names to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
When this is done it is a sign to all of us of the fact that people are still seeking to follow Christ. We are still growing the faith as Jesus asked us to do.
Please pray for all those who seek to receive the grace of the sacraments. Hopefully, we can rejoice in the evolution that others experience in their faith journey.
May Our Lady pray for us during our Lenten Journey,
Fr. Mark