6th Sunday in Ordinary Time-B
I
Reading: Leviticus: 13:1-2.44-46: The Leper must live apart: he must live outside
the camp.
II
Reading: 1Corinthians 10:31-11:1: Take me for your model, as I take Christ.
Gospel: Mark 1:40-45: The leprosy left him at once and he was cured.
Jesus’ Power over Leprosy and its Impact: Cleansing the most
Unclean
Leprosy
was connected with sin in the ancient times. Sin separates from God and
people/friends/church/family/community/society. Leprosy was the most feared
disease of the ancient world because of the way it destroys the body of a
person. The leper was considered the most unclean revolting and hideous person
imaginable. There was no known cure for leprosy; only God was considered
powerful enough to cure the disease. Jesus had the power to cleanse the most
unclean, no matter how terrible their uncleanness (1:2,3; Mt 8:1-4).
The
first reading of today gives us some of the rules laid down by Moses regarding
lepers in Israel. He was not only the religious leader but also a civil leader
governing the people of Israel in God’s name. Is there any leader today who
works for the spiritual and material welfare of the people?
The
second reading talks about Paul as a good leader guiding the Christians of
Corinth and became a good model to work for people for the glory of God.
In
the Gospel of today, Jesus becomes the true, loving and forgiving leader with full
of compassion and cures a leper with his loving touch with creative Words. Jesus
removes the blind belief, indiscrimination and social untouchability and forgives
the sins of a sinner by his power as the Messiah. The purpose of the coming of
Jesus was to save the humankind from sin and death.
We
summarize the readings into three parts:
i.
Lepers
in the ancient times: untouchable and ostracised, standing 6-8 feet away, torn
clothes, covering face, talking with upper lips only, no combing, pronouncing
“I am unclean, I am unclean while sitting or walking or when people pass by.”
ii.
Jesus
cures the lepers: because the leper came with humility i.e. kneeling down at
the feet of Jesus and pleaded for mercy and Jesus felt sorry for him and
stretched out his hand and touched him breaking the law of the people and cured
him to live happily in the society. The leper also broke the rule to touch
Jesus with his humility and total trust and hope in the power of Jesus.
iii.
An
important lesson to be learnt from the Gospel of today: when commit sin:
a.
Sin
separates us from God
b.
Sin
separates us from our brothers and sisters in the Christian community.
1. He was the great hope of the most
unclean (v.40)
2. He was moved with compassion for
the most unclean (41-42)
a.
Moved
to touch. In the OT nobody touched the lepers-morally and spiritually unclean
person.
b.
Moved
to speak
c.
Result:
it was His Word (Creative Word) of power that cleansed and healed the most
unclean
3. He warned the most unclean to
go-sin no more (43)
4. He demanded that the most unclean
witness to His Messiahship (44)
5. He made a great impact (45)
a.
The
news spread
b.
His
fame forced him to an unpopulated area
Thought: like
the leper of today’s Gospel, let us hasten to the feet of Christ whenever we
feel guilty of serious sin, tell him with faith: “Lord, if you want, you can
cure me.” Let us listen to his answer: “Of course I want! Be cured!” A sinner
is forgiven in the sacrament of reconciliations when he/she comes back to the
Lord with a repentant heart.
When we
are forgiven and cleansed, Christ expects us to “stop sinning.” There is no
real faith apart from obedience and work. Every cleansed person is to go to
church, profess his/her cleansing and become a part of God’s society and family
of believers. A cleansed person becomes a living testimony and witness to the
power of God.
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