Daily Readings - Sun Feb 11 2018
First Reading - Leviticus 13.1-2, 45-46
Leviticus
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,When 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:And 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.All 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.
Second Reading - 1 Corinthians 10.31 – 11.1
1 Corinthians
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Gospel - Mark 1.40-45
Mark
And 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.And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;And 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.But 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.