Gospel Reflection for the 6th. Sunday of Ordinary Time

February 11th. – Of course I want to heal you!

The first reading this Sunday from the Book of Leviticus and the Gospel from Mark, both speak to us about leprosy. For the Jewish people, before and during the time of Jesus, to be sick in any way was seen to a sinner who was being punished by God. This was even more true and serious when a person had leprosy. Leprosy was highly contagious. If you touched a leper, it was more than likely that you would contract the disease yourself. Those who had this terrible skin disease had to leave their home, their families and their village. They could not eat or socialise with others. They were not allowed into the local synagogue or the temple to pray. They were pushed to the very edge of their community and society. They were treated with fear and suspicion. They were despised. We are told clearly at the end of the first reading, ‘As long as the disease lasts, a person must be unclean; and therefore they must live apart; they must live outside the camp.’ Little had changed by the time of Jesus.

A leper comes to Jesus and pleads on his knees, ‘if you want to, you can heal me.’ Without hesitating, and feeling compassion for the leper, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. Of course I want to, he said. Be healed.’ By just being near a leper, Jesus is breaking the strict social and religious laws of his time. Then he speaks to the leper, and breaks the law again. The he reaches out with care and tenderness to touch the leprosy; again he breaks the law.

None of us have leprosy today. However, each of us has parts of our lives that are bruised, in pain and in need of the tender touch and healing touch of Jesus. This leper had great courage and faith. He had the humility to come before Jesus and simply say, Lord, please heal and cure me, make me whole again. There is a lot we can learn from this leper. Can we in any way follow his courageous example? Can we take an honest and humble look at our own lives, see where we need healing and simply ask Jesus to reach out to touch and heal us? When the people gave out and asked, ‘why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’ This is all of us; you and me.

We come to prayer and to celebrate the Eucharist as we are; flawed, failing and with plenty of faults. But we also come with hope, faith and full of courage. Just as God accepts, blesses and changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus, we too will be accepted blest and changed by God’s endless love and forgiveness.

Pope Francis reminds us that the Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.’ This week let us look to and learn from this leper who had the courage, faith and honest humility to simply say to Jesus, ‘if you want, you can heal me.’ Can we make this our prayer this week?

• Michael Moore OMI