Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Just when we think we have been surprised enough by Pope Francis, he gave us yet another one. Last Sunday, before he said mass at a local parish on the outskirts of Rome, he made a surprise visit to a shanty town. Most of the people were immigrant refuges from Peru and Ecuador, Eritrea, Ukraine, Russia, and other parts of the world. His love for these ordinary folks and their affection for him – it is amazing to watch. I watched the video and felt my eyes filling up. This man is changing the meaning of the papacy, of the church, of what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. Perhaps, the Pope is teaching us to be human again.
Today’s scripture readings are very thought provoking. While the first reading gives us a glimpse into the religious and social curse of leprosy, the gospel reading tells us of the immensity of God’s saving power. Together, they are give us a lesson on what it means to be human as God sees it. That is how I would like to approach the story of the healing of the leper by Jesus. I would like to look at its deeper meaning and implications for human living.
Three Implications
- The Power of Touch and the Curse of Fear. The best analogy to understand the scourge of leprosy is the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus. One of the main reasons for the spread of the virus was the burial custom of washing, touching and kissing of dead bodies to honor the dead. Is it not strange that the human touch can both save people and kill them? By stretching out his hands, touching the leper and speaking with the leper, Jesus was literally passing the death sentence on himself. Yet, that is exactly what he does. On a deeper sense, though, the image of Jesus stretching out his hands, touching the leper and speaking with him describes Jesus entire ministry. We are all lepers. Not one person here is without sin. We are all infected by the same virus. And we could have all died in our sin, except that God is not afraid to touch us. Instead of shunning, judging and condemning us, God stretches out to us. Jesus is the hands of God, the touch of God, the word spoken to us.
It seems to be today that a culture of fear rather than a culture of reaching out, touching, and talking to one another has taken over the world. The black man wearing a hoodie is a criminal, the white police officer is out kill black people, the Mexican is taking away our jobs, Muslims are terrorists, the person who speaks for the poor is a communist and Pope Francis is a Marxist. And then we come to Church and hear a story of Jesus stretching out his hands, touching a leper, and speaking to him. What do you think is the implication for you and me? Perhaps we need to talk more, hear each other’s stories, reach out and allow others to touch our lives.
- God’s mission is reconciliation. Mark gives another detail that is important. Jesus, who usually questions the oppressive tradition of Judaism, actually asks the leper to show himself to the priest and offer what Moses prescribed for his cleansing. For some reason, Jesus worked within the context of Jewish purity laws. Is there a reason for this? If Jesus let this healing be a personal event, the leper would have to make a case to the rest of society. By sending him to the priest, Jesus restored the leper to both his religious community and to society. The story of the leper is the story of restoration rather than simple healing.
This has huge implications for us today. Our advances in the means of communication and social media are tremendous tools in our hands. However, the impersonal nature and the anonymity that comes with it makes people say things they would not say face-to-face. The hatred, prejudice, and personal abuse the people inflict on social media is appalling. Be it political ideology, religious bigotry, xenophobic comments, racial prejudices, or personal vendetta, there is no shortage of negativity. What if we Christians, like Jesus, refrained from that which isolates and divides? Could we not stop labeling people? Could we not restore people than isolate them? The immigrant, the minorities, the poverty stricken, those on the fringes, even those on death row – may our life-style be restorative.
- God Trades Places. The most remarkable comment Mark makes in today’s gospel is Jesus’ demand for secrecy. This is a common theme in Mark. Scripture scholars tell us that the secrecy was meant to protect Jesus’ Messiahnic identity till the appropriate time. Because the Jewish people predominantly believed in a political messiah, the revelation of his messiahship would be perceived as an act of treason by the Romans. The Romans could prematurely put an end to Jesus’ ministry. But Jesus’ demand for secrecy is hardly met with compliance. The more he asked them to curb their enthusiasm, the more widely they publicized it. However, notice what happens as a result. Mark tells us that “It was impossible for Jesus to enter the town openly. He remained outside in deserted placed.” Does it strike you? Deserted places – that is where the leper used to be. The leper is now inside the community, but Jesus finds himself outside.
What would God not do to save us? Jesus traded places with the leper. He was killed outside the city so that we can enter heaven. Jesus entered humanity so that we can access divinity. Today in this Eucharist, Jesus is broken so that we might be whole again.
To this God let us do homage.
- Fr. Satish Joseph