Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Pope Benedict's term as Pope has been characterized by efforts toward reconciliation with the Eastern Church and more particularly the Society of Pius the X. Bishop Williamson was among four bishops whose excommunications were lifted by the Pope in an attempt to heal a split with traditionalists. Williamson belonged to the Society of St Pius X, founded by a French archbishop, Marcel Lefebvre, in 1970. This society was founded as a protest against the Second Vatican Council's reforms on religious freedom and pluralism. The late Archbishop Lefebvre made them bishops in Switzerland in 1988. This led to the immediate excommunication of all five by the late Pope John Paul II.

Since the excommunication against the five bishops was lifted, a huge controversy has erupted. Bishop Williamson provoked outrage when he said he believed there had been no Nazi gas chambers. "I believe that the historical evidence is strongly against, is hugely against six million Jews having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler," he said. Williamson has other radical views as well. He thinks that the United States planned the attacks of 9/11 and his views on women is equally disparaging. As a result the Pope spent time with Jewish leaders all last week trying to deal with the controversy. Whereas it may be easy for us to consider Williamson’s views outrageous, it is not uncommon for people to find themselves excluded because of race, religion, nationality, or sex. The politics of exclusion is strong even today.

Today’s first reading and the Gospel deal with the question of inclusivity and exclusivity. The Old Testament, for the times in which it was written was a rather forward-looking and inclusive. For example, when it came to orphans, widows, foreigners and the poor, the laws prescribed special care for them. There were some laws, though, that were rather oppressive. One of them had to do with lepers (Lev 13: 44-45). Remember, however, that leprosy was both contagious and incurable. From the point of view of society and its safety, the exclusion of lepers seemed reasonable. But from the perspective of the lepers, the law was oppressive for two reasons: first, it cut them off from their own families. Secondly, illness was considered to be a punishment from God. That is why, a leper went to the priest and not a physician to certify whether a person was infected or not. Once the priest declared the person unclean, the attitude of the entire society toward the person changed. They were scorned, excluded and ostracised from society. The leper could only fast and pray to win healing from God.

In this context, Jesus’ healing of the leper in today’s gospel reading is very telling. First, the healing itself says something important about Jesus: He is the Son of God. Second, the attitude of Jesus is impressive. Even though the law prescribed that one must exclude and avoid the leper, Jesus interacts with the person. Jesus goes against the normal practices of society. And by healing the leper, he not only restores the person’s health, but brings the leper back into communion. Jesus attitude is not exclusionary but inclusive. He did that with the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the demoniacs and the sinners. Even the most prodigal of son is restored back into communion.

Let me offer three practical implications from today’s readings for us.

1. Today’s first practical implication comes from the second reading. St. Paul urges the Corinthian community to “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” 1 Cor 11:1). In other words, Paul fashioned his life upon Christ. He began to think like Christ, act like Christ, and talk like Christ. The Christ he imitates was the primary reason why he sought to invite, Jews and Greeks, believer and gentile into the Christian fold. Whereas the story of Williamson makes us nauseous for his exclusion of others, hear the story of this English nun by the name of Sister Mary Hambrough. During the II World War she played a vital role in saving the lives of more than 60 Jews by smuggling them into her convent. She risked her own life to save others. Today her name is being proposed for canonization. That is the meaning of being imitators of Christ. We too, as imitators of Christ are being called today to be a Christ-like presence: inclusive, caring of all, accepting all people as God’s children and offering ourselves in service to all.

2. On a personal level, if Jesus is saying anything to us today it is this: build communion. We may not be able to heal or perform miracles but God has given us the power to do good. Jesus does give us the power to unite people than divide. Jesus does give us the power to take care of one another irrespective of our race, sex, religion or nationality. Let us make a promise that we will not exclude other people because of their race, nationality, religion or sexual preference. Let us be imitators of Christ as we build communion with even the most neglected of people.

3. Archbishop Williamson is one of those traditionalist Catholics who rejects the Second Vatican Council. The main stream Catholic Church has become more and more inclusive in its nature. Other religions are looked upon more positively. John Paul II in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio even states that non-Christians who are non-Christians not by their own fault can be saved in a mysterious way by God. Both Jesus and the teaching of the church challenge us to allow God to work in the world that God has created. Both Christ and the teaching of the Church challenge us to allow God to save the people God has created in God’s own way. Any other stand is to fail to imitate Christ.

In conclusion let me say this. As we bring ourselves before Christ in this Eucharist, let us say to Jesus what the leper said to him: “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mk 1:40). Let us ask Christ to cleanse us of our prejudices, our small mindedness, our arrogance and our pride. Let us also ask Christ to heal us of our illnesses and our sicknesses. May our faith in Christ bring us healing in mind, heart and body, Amen.

- Fr. Satish Joseph