My dear parishioners,
God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!!
From the beginning of this book to its end, the people of Israel remain encamped at the base of Mount Sinai. Things have changed since they first arrived there. The Ark of the Covenant and the tent of meeting stand in the center of the camp (Ex 40:3); now it seems God is closer to the people than ever before in this world. In fact, this book begins with God speaking to Moses “from the tent of meeting” (Lv 1:1). All this suggests an intimacy between God and people not experienced since the first man and woman walked with God in the Garden of Eden. But conditions are also very much unlike the garden. This reading is a stark reminder of the differences.
This story describes Jesus healing a man with a serious skin disease. The disease is referred to as leprosy, but it is not what modern medicine understands as Hansen’s disease. The process Jesus uses to address the situation is standard in narratives of healing. The ailment or disease is described. Jesus heals the person sometimes by word or touch or both. The healing is totally successful.
The healing. A person suffering from a serious skin disease assertively approaches Jesus and begs him for healing. No detail is given as to why this man picked Jesus. He has a strong conviction that Jesus can indeed perform the healing. Jesus is described as being “moved with pity.” There are some Greek manuscripts that have Jesus “being angry.” He does not seem to be angry at the man with the disease. The real point is most likely Mark’s emphasis that Jesus was deeply and emotionally moved by this situation. Jesus agrees to heal the suffering man. He touches the man and speaks the words, “Be made clean.” The healing happens immediately and it is complete.
The traditional clearance. A person suffering from a disease that rendered him or her ritually impure had to have the priest’s declaration that the disease was cured before the person could reenter ordinary social interactions with others (Lev 13). Jesus insists that the man go to the priest and obtain this clearance. The prescriptions of Moses are to be followed literally. Jesus obviously does not want his name connected with this healing. This insistence on the part of Jesus has been referred to in scholarship as the “messianic secret.”
The report is spread. The healed person cannot keep this experience to himself and thus the whole thing gets publicized. The reason Jesus wants this activity kept secret is that he knows this will be misunderstood and these healings and exorcisms will be understood as the main mission and ministry of Jesus. While Jesus can indeed do miracles of healing and exorcism, that does not capture who he really is. He is the Messiah and the Son of God and this is far more than simply a miracle worker. Jesus’ fear quickly materializes as the people flock to him with their illnesses and diseases.
Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Aloysius