Homily 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time year BI Homily for 11 February 2024

 


My dear friends today we celebrate the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time year B. Though the readings revolve around leprosy and how it was dealt with, they do teach us some very important spiritual truths. The book of Leviticus deals with some of the most ordinary matters of life and it does so with a spiritual objective: to live a life centered on God. The Hebrew word ṣā·rā·‘aṯ, {צרעת} often translated as leprosy, is not the same disease we call leprosy or Hansen’s disease today. It is rather a very general term that could perhaps include skin diseases like ringworm, smallpox measles etc. The person suffering from any of these conditions would be isolated for the necessary time until the condition cleared up, thus preventing the spread of these kinds of diseases among the people of Israel. It was the job of the priests of Israel to examine the people who showed such symptoms. However, if you were to be among the unlucky ones and if your diagnosis of leprosy was confirmed, your life would become a living hell. They were required to live in a perpetual state of mourning, public disgrace and exclusion. This disease was considered a punishment from God.

 In the second reading, the passage that is taken from the first letter to the Corinthians is the latter part of chapter 10 which addresses primarily the issue of idolatry and food that has been sacrificed to idols. Paul now presents before us a single principle that should drive all our choices. Believers should be motivated to bring glory to God in everything they do or choose not to do. We have to not only consider our own benefit but also that of our neighbour.

The deciding factor in any activity should not be whether this activity will bring me pleasure, material gain, or status. The deciding factor should be if it brings glory to God.

Paul’s main concern was the salvation of all. Paul knew he followed Jesus, so he did not hesitate to tell the Corinthian Christians to imitate his walk with the Lord. What is the deciding factor for the decisions you make in your life?

 The gospel passage taken from Mark presents before us Jesus’ interaction with a leper.

The words of the leper “If you choose, you can make me clean.” acknowledge that healing rests within the will of God. When Jesus looked upon this poor, wretched man and saw his condition, His heart was stirred to action. He disregards all social and religious customs stretches out his hand and touches him. Just imagine what this gesture itself would mean to a man who has been isolated from his family and society for years. This gesture conveys something very important for us all. Jesus loves us just the way we are. He loves us with all our imperfections and weaknesses. His touch comes before the healing, his love for us comes before our conversion.

 Also it's interesting to note that the man does not ask to be healed medically speaking but rather to be made clean. So what’s the difference between being ‘healed’ and being made ‘clean’?  To be made clean has a spiritual and social dimension. He believes Jesus can make him whole again, return him to his family, allow him to go back to work, and back to worshipping God in the Temple.  This leper wasn’t asking for mere healing, he wanted to be CLEAN!  Through a simple touch, the man is healed of his leprosy and his place is established within the community, within his family, and the religious life of God’s people. And after healing him Jesus didn’t just send him away. He sent him to the priest at the temple. This man was told to go and fulfil the requirements of the Law for his cleansing. This leper was to go and present himself to the priest and get a certificate of cleansing based on a ceremony in Lev. 14.

 Although leprosy or Hansen’s disease is treatable today the stigma attached to it remains. And even if we do not suffer physically from this disease each one of us has our own spiritual leprosy. Hurts, pains and baggage keep us from experiencing the fullness of life. There are two fantasy exercises or imaginations I would like to propose to you today. The first would be to put ourselves in the place of the leper. What would I ask if I met Jesus on the same road?

The second is to imagine someone we find difficult to forgive coming up to us in the place of the leper and asking us “If you choose, you can make me clean.” It's an invitation to open our hearts and forgive. What is our response? We have the power to free ourselves from the pain of unforgiveness.

 Jesus is still willing to touch our lives today. He is waiting to heal and cleanse us only if you will let Him! I pray that we may grow to learn more about our spiritual leprosies and through the cleansing touch of Jesus become children of God again. May God bless us all.

 

 


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