Our site uses cookies to improve the user experience and we recommend accepting its use to take full advantage of the navigation

I agree
More information

Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

Sunday 6th (B) in Ordinary Time

View 1st Reading and Psalm
1st Reading (Lev 13:1-2.44-46): The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, «If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the man is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’. As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp».
Responsorial Psalm: 31
R/. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, «I confess my faults to the Lord», and you took away the guilt of my sin.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart.
2nd Reading (1Cor 10:31—11:1): Brothers and sisters, Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Versicle before the Gospel (Lk 7:16): Alleluia. A great prophet has arisen in our midst, God has visited his people. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Mk 1,40-45): A leper came to Jesus and begged him, «If you so will, you can make me clean». Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, «I will; be clean». The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, «Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration». However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

«If you so will, you can make me clean»

Fr. Ferran JARABO i Carbonell (Agullana, Girona, Spain)

Today, the Gospel invites us to contemplate the faith of this leper. We know that, in Jesus time, lepers were socially rejected and considered as unclean. Cleaning that leper is an anticipated vision of the salvation proposed to all of us by Jesus, along with a call to open our heart so that He may transform it.

The sequence of feats is quite evident. First, the leper begs Jesus to clean him, thus professing his faith: «If you so will, you can make me clean» (Mk 1:40). Then, Jesus —who literally surrenders before our faith— heals him («I will; be clean»), and urges him to follow what the Law commands while warning him to keep silent. Finally, however, the leper feels compelled to «begin spreading the news everywhere» (Mk 1:45). In a way, he disobeys Jesus' last warning, but his experience with the Saviour provokes a reaction his mouth cannot control.

Our life is similar to the leper's life. At times, we live in sin, apart from God and the community. But this Gospel encourages us and offers us a model: to openly affirm our total faith in Jesus, to completely open our heart to him, and once cleaned by the Spirit, to go around proclaiming that we have met the Lord. This is the consequence of the sacrament of Reconciliation, the sacrament of Joy.

As St. Anselm clearly states: «Our soul has to ignore itself while totally dwelling in Jesus Christ, who has died to deliver us from sin, and has resurrected to make us resurrect to the deeds of justice». Jesus wants us to walk along with Him, He wants to clean us. How do we react? We have to go and meet Him with the leper's humility and let Him help us to die free from sin to live by his Justice.

April 2nd
Palm Sunday (A)

Gospel and commentary video

_______

20th Anniversary evangeli.net