Daily Readings - Sun Feb 11 2024

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.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 10

³¹So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.³²Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,³³just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Chapter 11

¹Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Mark

Chapter 1

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

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of isolation, compassion, and the call to live in a way that glorifies God. In the first reading from Leviticus, we hear about the ritual purity laws surrounding leprosy, which required those afflicted to live outside the camp, separated from the community. This was not only a physical isolation but also a spiritual one, as the leper was considered unclean and unable to participate in worship. The reading reminds us of the deep human need for connection and the pain of exclusion. In the Gospel, Mark presents a stark contrast to the isolation of the leper in Leviticus. Jesus encounters a leper who begs for healing, and instead of rejecting him, Jesus reaches out with compassion. The touch of Jesus’ hand and his words, “I am willing. Be cleansed,” demonstrate a radical love that transcends societal norms and religious rules. This act of healing not only restores the leper physically but also reintegrates him into the community. It shows us that God’s love is not about exclusion but about inclusion and restoration. The second reading from 1 Corinthians ties these themes together. Paul encourages the Corinthians to live in a way that seeks the good of others, imitating Christ who emptied himself for the sake of the world. Like Jesus, we are called to reach out to those on the margins, to touch the untouchable, and to bring healing and hope. In our daily lives, this means being mindful of how we treat others, especially those who feel isolated or excluded. Let us strive to be instruments of God’s love, breaking down barriers and building a community where everyone feels valued and included.