Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time B

In this transcription, the speaker discusses the story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Leprosy was a highly contagious skin disease that isolated individuals from society and prevented them from worshipping in the temple. The healing of the leper represents not only physical healing but also restoration to family, community, and God. The speaker relates this story to the isolation many experienced during the COVID epidemic and emphasizes the nature of salvation and reconciliation through Christ. The transcription encourages the reader to reflect on the passage and have a personal encounter with Jesus. The speaker concludes by inviting the listener to continue meditating on the passage and to pray to Jesus about its impact. Greetings, friends. What a joy to share the Gospel. We continue to walk with St. Mark through the first days of Jesus' public ministry. Let's open our hearts, our spirits, to our Lord Jesus, who desires to walk with us. We take a moment to quiet our inner selves. If you will, take a deep breath, slowly in and slowly out. Come Lord Jesus, allow your Holy Spirit to bring your word to life in me. May I hear your voice, Good Shepherd. Reading a passage from the Gospel is the first step of the ancient prayer of Lectio Divina. By reading we begin to grow in familiarity with the passage, opening ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit carried on the words of the Gospel. On this sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we read from Mark's Gospel, chapter 1, verses 40-45. A leper came to Jesus, and kneeling down, begged Him and said, "'If you wish, you can make me clean.' Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched Him and said to Him, "'I do, will it. Be made clean.' The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to Him, "'See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed. That will be proof for them.' The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere." The healing of one with leprosy is so common in the Gospel accounts. Leprosy in Jesus' day referred to any highly contagious skin disease. Because of the danger one with leprosy was to others, they were isolated, separated from family, forced to live on the margins of society. Even more, they were unable to offer sacrifice to God in the temple, considered ritually impure. Leviticus chapter 13 verses 45 through 46 declared this, quote, "'The individual with the skin disease shall cry out, unclean, unclean. As long as the infection is present, the person shall be unclean. Being unclean, that individual shall dwell apart, taking up residence outside the camp." Many of us, I think, can identify on a whole new level with such isolation caused by disease. The COVID epidemic so recently endured was the cause of much enormous isolation for so many. Young people were forced from school, separated from their friends, their social circles. Think two of our elders, many left by themselves, separated from family and friends for their own good, it was declared, because of fear of infection. How many died alone during those COVID days? In this, it becomes easier to appreciate that when Jesus heals a person with leprosy, it is not simply the story of physical healing. This is the restoration of a person to his family, his friends, his community, and ultimately to God. Notice the insistence of Jesus to this man, go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed. He was free again to worship his God. Friends, encountered in this narrative is the very nature of salvation as understood, and more importantly, encountered in Christ. Jesus frees us from shame, the feeling of being unclean, that we might live again, free to worship our God. Jesus heals by reconciling us, first of all, to ourselves, enabling us to receive God's mercy. From this experience, we become free as well to forgive others. This is healing, salvation, redemption, the restoration of right relationship with God and with others. No more crying out, unclean, unclean, rather we cry out, healed, restored, forgiven, beloved child of God the Father. With all this in mind, we turn now again a second time to read our gospel text. As surely as the man in this gospel came face to face with the Son of God in Jesus, we encounter in this reading Jesus Christ present before us. Be sensitive as the passage is read to how it is speaking to you personally. What stirs your emotions, captures your imagination, stimulates your mind as you hear the reading? Once again, we open ourselves to the word as we read Mark chapter 1 verses 40 through 45. A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged Him and said, If you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched Him and said to Him, I do, will it? Be made clean. The leprosy left him immediately and he was made clean. Then warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to Him, See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed. That will be proof for them. The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places and people kept coming to him from everywhere. The second step of Lectio Divina after reading is meditation. To meditate, we pause to ponder and reflect on what has stood out for us, to savor that word, phrase or image from the gospel that speaks most powerfully to us. What friend is speaking to you at this moment? I am so taken with what happens to Jesus as a result of this and the other miracles he has performed. Notice he was forced, Mark tells us, to remain outside in deserted places. Jesus has literally traded places with the man who had leprosy. That man, once forced to remain outside, away from the community, has been brought home. Jesus, meanwhile, must now stay outside. Those of us who have felt unclean, carrying the shame placed on us by our sin and our society have been freed, freed by the one who willingly became shame for us. Lord Jesus Christ, if you will it, you can heal me. Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you because you have willed my healing. You have filled me with tender mercy. And now I know I belong to the God you have taught me to call Father. Friends, let me invite you again to continue to sit with this gospel passage. Notice how it stirs within you. In prayer, talk to Jesus about what his word is doing in you now. Before leaving prayer, be sure to intentionally place the words you have received deep in your spirit, where the Lord might bring it growth throughout this week ahead. And friends, it is a joy to share the gospel with you. Amen.