Daily Readings - Sun Feb 11 2024

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.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 10

³¹Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.³²Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:³³Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Chapter 11

¹Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Mark

Chapter 1

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

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.