Daily Readings - Sun Feb 11 2018
Leviticus
1The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,2"When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests,45"The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.'46He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Mark
40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter themes of isolation, compassion, and the call to live as imitators of Christ. The first reading from Leviticus describes the ritual impurity of leprosy, emphasizing the physical and social separation of those afflicted. This was not only a health precaution but also a religious designation, reflecting the understanding of sin and uncleanness in ancient Israel. The leper was forced to live outside the camp, a visible reminder of the consequences of impurity.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a stark contrast as Jesus encounters a leper. While the law in Leviticus required isolation, Jesus reaches out with compassion, touching the leper and healing him. This act of love transcends the boundaries of ritual purity, showing that God’s mercy and restoration are available to all, regardless of their condition. Yet, Jesus instructs the healed leper to follow the Mosaic law by presenting himself to the priests, demonstrating that his healing is not a rejection of tradition but a fulfillment of it.
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians bridges these ideas, urging believers to live in a way that glorifies God and seeks the good of others. Just as Jesus reached out to the leper, we are called to imitate Christ by being compassionate and selfless. This means avoiding actions that might offend others and instead seeking to build up the community. In our daily lives, we are challenged to move beyond the boundaries that separate us—whether they be social, cultural, or spiritual—and to embrace those on the margins with the same love and humility that Jesus showed the leper. Let us strive to be instruments of healing and reconciliation, reflecting the heart of Christ in all we do.