The Challenge of Action: Lev 13:1-2,44-46; 1 Cor 10:31—11:1; Mk 1:40-45 (6) B

The Challenge of Action

Lev 13:1-2,44-46; 1 Cor 10:31—11:1; Mk 1:40-45  (6) B

“This is the book of the commandments of God, the Law that stands for ever: those who keep it live” (DO)

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Leprosy is a bacterial infectious skin disease that had been surrounded by many social and religious taboos. In 1873, the cause of leprosy, is also known as Hansen’s disease. Although it is infectious, modern medical studies show that transmission is more difficult than previously thought. We have medical treatments since the 1940. Today, the patients need not to be isolated.

The Hebrew word used in Leviticus for leprosy is tsara'ath. The word leprosy in Jewish thought, seems to have covered any kind of creeping skin disease. Any such skin disease rendered the sufferer unclean. Such person was banished from the fellowship of others and must dwell alone in isolation. The leper was a person who was already dead, though still alive.

In the case of identification of leprosy, the Law of Moses instructed for the examination of skin diseases by the priests and the person was declared unclean (Lev 14:1-57). They were instructed to rip their clothes and announce their presence with loud cries when moving in the community. If the sores of leprosy healed, the Law of Moses provided a purification rite that permitted the person to return to the community.

In today’s Gospel, the man with leprosy took the initiative asking Jesus for healing. In doing so, according to the Mosaic law, the leper violated the religious customs by approaching Jesus who was clean. But what we need to understand that his request to Jesus can be interpreted as a courageous and daring act. It is the confidence of the leper in Jesus’ ability to heal him. But his request can also be interpreted as a challenge to Jesus in curing him. However, there is an event of trespassing the unhealthy traditional law and breaking the barriers to give life to a human being. There is a divine act that embraces the disfigured and wretched creature lacking the divine love and friendship. In touching the man with leprosy, Jesus made himself unclean so as to cleanse the unclean.

This is an important sign of the depth of God’s compassion. Although God implemented the radical change in the unhealthy barriers, still he respected the Law of Moses instructing the man to present himself to the priests as prescribed by the Law. Christ was made sin for us, that we might be made righteousness in him. Today’s spiritual leprosy is lack of prayer, humility, and faith as the source of all righteousness. The leper was cured, but not perfectly. He had not learned the obedience of faith. His inattention to Christ’s request created a serious inconvenience and hindrance in prosecuting the work of salvation amongst others. Those who have received benefits from Christ should attend implicitly to all that he enjoins, “You are my friends, if you do the things Which I command you” (Jn 15:14). The spiritual blessings of Christ are dependent on perfect subjection to his will. The more a servant of God withdraws himself from the world, the more highly does the world esteem him.

                    “The LORD sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal all their infirmities” Ps 41:3