Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 11, 2018
First Reading: Leviticus 13.1-2, 45-46
1And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,2When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:45And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.46All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
Psalm 32
1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.5I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.6For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.7Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.9Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.10Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.11Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10.31 – 11.1
1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
40And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.42And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.43And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;44And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came 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.